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Nats Down Genoa City

Posted by Steve Elliott at Jun 12, 2014 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )

The West Allis Nationals erupted for 6 runs in the top of the first inning Thursday night en route to an 11-0 victory over the Genoa City Red Dogs.

Brian Huntzinger led off the contest with a single and moved to second on a passed ball.  Matt Soderlund then delivered a safety to score Huntzinger with the contest's first run.  With one out, Matt Richer, Mike Merritt, and Nick Schmiddlekofer hit consecutive singles, the latter two each plating a run, putting the Nats up 3-0.   Curt Pryal then followed with a home run to left, plating Merritt and Schmiddlekofer and giving the Nats a 6-0 advantage.

Soderlund later knocked in two runs with a two out single in fourth and a one out single in the sixth to finish with 4 RBI on the night.   Soderlund, Huntzinger, and Matt Ritcher led the way with 3 hits a piece and the Nats as a whole finished the evening with a season high 18 hits.

Mitch Lochen was equally effective as the offense on the mound.   Lochen threw six scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits, while walking one and striking out five for his second victory of the young season.  Jack Wagoner pitched a scoreless seventh to close out the 7 inning slaughter rule victory.

Next up for the Nationals are the Burlington Barons.  The two teams will square off at Beaumont Field in Burlington on Sat for a Langsdorf League DH.  Game one is set for a 5pm start.  

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Nats Rally Late to Down Burlington Barons

Posted by Steve Elliott at Jun 6, 2014 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )

The Nationals perservered Thursday evening at beautiful Zirkel Field, pushing 7 tallies across the dish in their final two at bats to take a 9-5 decision from the Burlington Barons.

It was a tale of two games.   The early innings were controlled by the Barons, who scored a total of 5 runs in the games first four innings to take a 5-1 lead.

After that point, Nationals starting pitcher Mitch Lochen settled in.  Lochen retired 13 of 15 hitters in innings 5 through 8, striking out 7, and kept the team in the game allowing for the late inning outburst.

Down 5 - 2 going to the bottom of the seventh, Kyle Kalkopf led off with a double.  Joe Sturino then reached on an error, with Kalkopf scoring.  With one out, Jake Kolasinski singled home Sturino, the third hit of his four hit/four RBI night.  After a Shey Smith single, Mike Merritt grounded out scored Kosalinski to tie the game.  That set the stage for Curt Pryal, whose Miller High Life oppo single brought home Smith with the sixth run of the contest.

3 insurance runs were added in the 8th.  Matt Richer's single off the wall scored Brian Huntzinger and Kosalinski's double scored Kalkopf and Sturino.   Reliever Jack Wagoner held off the Barons with 2 strikeouts in the ninth to end the game.

Next up are the Northern Illinois Legends at the College of Lake County in Grayslake Illinois.   The first game of the DH begins at 1pm.

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Nationals Split DH in Sheboygan

Posted by Steve Elliott at May 31, 2014 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )

The Nats picked up where they left off the 2013 season in Sheboygan, squandering an early scoring opportunity in a game 1 9 - 4 loss to the A's.   The squad loaded the bases in the second inning with one out and had a chance to grab an early lead, but catcher Nick Schmidlekoper lined to the pitcher and left fielder Jake Kolasinski was doubled off of first to end the inning.

In the third, the Nats were able to grab a 2 - 1 lead.  Brian Huntzinger reached on an error to lead off the inning and Kyle Kalkopf bunted him to second, reaching first himself on the infield safety.   With one out Sam Hammer hit what could have been an inning ending double play ball to third, but it was misplayed, allowing Huntzinger to score.   Jake Kolasinski followed with a deep fly to center to score Kalkopf.

Mike Merritt's two run homer in the sixth closed out the scoring for the Nationals.

In game two, the Nats jumped early, posting a first inning four spot en route to a 12-3 win.   Jake Kolasinski opened the scoring with an RBI single and Shey Smith capped it with a three run homer to left.

Adam Karas' leadoff double in the second led to the Nationals fifth run and the offense remained quiet until the fifth when the locals posted 6 more runs.

Brian Huntzinger, Ryan McShane, and Joe Sturino hit consecutive RBI doubles before Shey Smith came up and hit his second three run homer of the contest.

Next up for the Nationals are the Kenosha Kings on Wednesday at Simmons Field in Kenosha and the Burlington Barons on Thursday at beautiful Fred Zirkel Field in West Allis.  First pitch for both contests is 7:30pm

The Nats and Genoa City League opening game was suspended after 10 innings with the score tied 10-10 due to park ordinance.

The game will be picked up in the 11th inning and completed on Tuesday July 8 when Genoa City returns to Zirkel Field in West Allis.