The weekend was a time for the Morris Eagles to fly. First there was a Friday (6/8) win over the Coyotes of Chokio. That came by a 5-3 score and saw the Morris crew pound out ten hits. The Sunday story was a 6-3 win over the Canby Knights.
The upbeat weekend saw the Eagles improve their season won-lost to 6-3.
Click on the permalink below to read about the Eagles' wins on May 27 and June 2 over Dawson and Appleton, respectively. This post is on my companion website, "Morris of Course."
Eagles 5, Chokio 3
The Friday game contributed to the atmosphere for the annual Chokio Community Picnic. Team spokesman Matthew Carrington referred to this game as the "Highway 28 showdown." He noted it was a beautiful evening.
The game also started in a beautiful way for the Eagles' cause. Jamie Van Kempen doubled as the first batter, and this contributed to a three-run rally. Kirby Marquart came through with an infield hit. Chokio misplayed that ball and Van Kempen was able to race across home plate.
Ryan Beyer strode up to bat and delivered a home run to right-center, clearing the fence by a good margin. This was his third round-tripper of the season.
Chokio starting pitcher Alex Erickson got into a groove after that shaky first inning. There was a series of zeroes on the scoreboard after that.
Speaking of zeroes, Morris starting pitcher Carrington, the savvy veteran, had a no-hitter going through six innings. He lost his no-hit bid on an easily playable ball. It was a mere pop-up that landed five feet in front of home plate.
The Eagles had more misfortune on the next batter who hit a fly ball that would have been caught under normal conditions. The problem was what Carrington called the "hazy evening sky." A good excuse? Whatever, the Eagles couldn't make the play.
You might think the door is open for a rally here. But the Coyotes actually failed to score. The Eagles executed a double play on a soft liner to second. Then, a ground ball to third was handled crisply by the Eagles' defense, and it was out No. 3.
Carrington still had a shutout going. He finally faltered in the eighth when the Coyotes appeared to have him figured out and attacked with a double and two singles. Carrington departed from the mound with no outs and the Eagles leading 3-1.
Chokio stayed on the attack with a double that drove in two runs and tied the score. Both teams put up zeroes in the ninth so now we have extra innings.
Morris finally decided the issue in the tenth. Van Kempen walked and was sacrificed to second by Marquart. The bases became full (with one out) with walks issued to Ryan Beyer and Eric Ashe.
Craig Knochenmus hit the ball past the third baseman, getting two runs in.
It was up to pitcher Jacob Torgerson to slam the door. The bullpen door had opened for the fuzzy-cheeked (young) Torgerson in the ninth, and it was a special occasion as it was his town team debut. He allowed no runs in his two innings. He set down four Coyote batters on strikes. He walked no one and allowed two hits.
Nate Haseman pitched in between Carrington and Torgerson.
Marquart had a hot bat with three hits in four at-bats including a double, plus he scored a run. Beyer finished two-for-four with two runs and two ribbies.
Eagles with one hit each were Van Kempen, Ashe, Knochenmus, Cole Riley and Brett Anderson.
Eagles 6, Canby 3
Nathan Gades was the winning pitcher and Craig Knochenmus got the save in the Eagles' 6-3 win over Canby Sunday.
Gades fanned seven Knight batters in this home contest. He walked just one and gave up seven hits and three runs (just one earned).
Knochenmus fanned two batters, walked two and allowed one hit and no runs.
The Eagles generated seven hits but got much additional momentum from ten walks received and three hit batters. All that momentum spelled a comfortable 6-1 lead in the sixth inning. After that it was a matter of the Eagles "hanging on."
Canby whittled away at the deficit with two unearned runs in the seventh. The Knights might have broken through more but there was a timely double play in the ninth.
Tanner Picht was the leadoff man in the Eagles' lineup and he came through at two-for-four with a run scored and an RBI. He roamed center field on defense.
Eric Riley hit a resounding double off the wall to the opposite field in the fourth. Brett Anderson connected for an RBI single in the sixth frame.
Picht was the only Eagle with a multiple-hit game. Eagles with one hit were Beyer, Eric Riley, Knochenmus, Carrington and Anderson.
Click on the permalink below to get refreshed on the Eagles' first two wins of the 2012 season, which were over Madison and Clinton on May 19 and 20, respectively. This is an earlier "I Love Morris" post. Thanks for reading. - BW
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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