West Allis NATIONALS Baseball

The Nats rallied from a 4-0 deficit on Tuesday night to defeat the Kenosha Kings, 6-4.   The loss was only the third in league play and fifth overall for the Kings. (14-3, 30-5)

The Nationals got on the board in the fifth.  Matt Soderlund, recently released by the San Rafael Pacifics in the Great American Baseball League, led off with a walk.   Adam Karas followed with a double off the wall and Brian Huntzinger brought Soderlund home when the ball he hit to 2nd base was misplayed.  After a Luke Maldonado walk, Matt Richer then stepped to the plate and grounded into a disputed DP to score Karas.  

The Nationals added a third run in the 6th.  With two outs, Nick Lingvay singled and Matt Soderlund followed with a run scoring double.  

The Nationals took the lead in the following inning.  Bobby Widenski led off with a walk and Luke Maldonado doubled him to third.  Widenski scored  after the next hitter, Matt Richer, reached on an error.  Colby Gee then delivered the biggest blow of the game, a single that scored two to give the Nats the 6-4 lead that wouldn't be relinquished.

Jimmy Jungbauer pitched 7 strong innings to earn his first win of the year.   Jungbauer struck out 7 and walked none.

Nick Lingvay pitched two scoreless frames for his first Nationals save.

The Nationals now play in the first annual Langsdorf Invitational Tournament.  First pitch of game 1 is 9:30am Saturday in Genoa City.  Games at 11:45am and 6:30pm follow on Saturday and at 1145am on Sunday.

The West Allis Nationals again overcame oppressive conditions Friday night downing the Kenosha Bobcats by a score of 12-2.   The locals pounded out 17 hits in triple digit heat and humidity to secure their third straight victory and maintain momentum heading into home stretch of their regular season schedule.

All Star nominee Colby Gee (.422  10 RBI) led the offense with 4 hits and 4 RBI's.   Veteran Jared Stengel contributed 3 hits and two RBI's while All Star Matt Richer (.459  11 RBI) and leadoff hitter Luke Maldonado (.429) also added 3 hits and an RBI each.  

All Star Andy Kovarik (3-1 1.05 ERA) went 7 strong innings on the bump, allowing no earned runs and striking out 7.

The Nats got on the board early, scoring twice in the first inning.   Matt Richer's RBI triple plated Luke Maldonado, who had led off the game with a single.   Colby Gee then followed with an RBI single to score Richer.   The Nationals built on that lead with a run in the third on back-to-back doubles by Mike Merritt and Jared Stengel.  After an unearned run in the fourth, the Nats broke the game open in the fifth, plating 4 more runs and chasing Bobcats starter Brendan Schultz from the game.  In the seventh, Gee knocked in Richer after Richer had doubled with one out to push the lead to 9-0.   The scoring closed with a three run, five hit ninth inning.

Next up for the Nationals are the league leading Kenosha Kings.   The two squads square off on Tuesday night at Zirkel Field beginning at 7:30pm. 

Jimmy Jungbauer, Curt Pryal, Adam Karas, Matt Richer, and Andy Kovarik have been elected to participate in this year's All Star Game in Sheboygan.   Kovarik has also been elected to participate in the Home Run Derby which precedes the game.

PROMOTION - The Sheboygan A's will host the 2012 Northeastern Wisconsin League vs. Langsdorf League All-Star game. The game features the best players from the Northeastern WI League vs. the best from the Langsdorf League of Southeastern Wisconsin. The game will be preceded by a Home Run Derby.

It is also Craft Beer Night brought to you by 8th Street Ale House in Sheboygan. More details coming soon.

Three Guys and a Grill will be giving away items to the first 50 fans in attendance.

The hot hitting Nationals continued their ways on Thursday night as they cruised to a 12-6 victory over Burlington.  Every Nats starter recorded at least one knock and collectively the squad posted 14.  All Star Matt Richer led the way with 4 hits; Nate Martin added 2.  

After a single Burlington tally in the first, the Nats struck with three runs of their own.  After consecutive singles by Matt Richer and Colby Gee, Mike Merritt blasted a three run homer to center to give the Nats an early cushion.  That lead expanded in the second.   After a leadoff double from All Star Adam Karas, Bobby Widenski reached on an error.   Luke Maldonado scored Karas with an RBI single and Matt Richer scored Widenski with an RBI single of his own.   A Colby Gee fielders choice scored Maldonado with the third run of the inning and the Nats had a healthy 6-1 lead.   That lead expanded after a three run third and single tallies in the fourth and fifth.   The Nats closed out their scoring in the eighth when Nick Lingvay knocked in Jared Fon, who had led off with a double.

Curt Pryal went 6 plus innings to earn the win.   Mitch Lochen closed the game out.

Next up are the Kenosha Bobcats at Simmons Field in Kenosha.  First pitch is set for 7:30pm.

The weather was hot and the bats were hotter on Tuesday night at Horlick Field in Racine.   Staked by 6 players with two or more hits, the Nationals cruised to a 9-2 victory.  2012 All Star Adam Karas led the way with 3 knocks and Luke Maldonado, fellow All Star Matt Richer, Colby Gee, Mike Merritt, and Nick Lingvay added two each.

Jimmy Jungbauer pitched seven innings for the Nationals to earn the win.  Jungbauer allowed no earned runs on 7 hits, striking out 4 and walking 2.   Bobby Herrick pitched two perfect innings of relief.

The Nationals next face the Burlington Barons on Thursday night at Zirkel Field in West Allis followed by the Kenosha Bobcats on Friday night at Simmons Field in Kenosha.  Both games begin at 7:30pm