Cold Spring
Locked in a scoreless tie heading into the bottom of the third inning, the Kimball Express broke this tie with a three-run third inning via Ben Johnson’s three-run home run. This proved more than enough for the Express pitching staff, seeing four pitchers combine for the six-hit shutout in an eventual 6-0 home win over the Cold Spring Rockies on May 11.
After that three-run home run in the third, the Express tacked on two runs in the sixth via a Jaxon Marquardt RBI single and a Zach Schmidt steal of home. Marquardt pushed across the Express’ final run with another RBI single in the eighth.
Zach Dingmann earned the pitching win in relief, giving up two hits, walking one, and striking out four over three innings.
Offensively, the Express posted 11 hits. Jaxon Marquardt led the Express, going four-for-four with two RBI. Joe Hess finished two-for-two to also pace the Express.
St. Augusta
The Express trailed the St. Augusta Gussies early after giving up a run in the top of the first. The team wouldn’t trail long, scoring a game-tying run in the second and breaking the game open with a five-run fifth en route to the 7-1 home win May 18.
An Ashton Hanan RBI single tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning. Then, in that five-run fifth inning, the Express recorded five hits, highlighted by an Adam Beyer RBI double, Joe Hess RBI single, a Zach Schmidt RBI single, and a Hanan two-run single.
The Express tacked on an unearned run in the seventh via an Austin Ruehle RBI bases-loaded walk, providing for the final margin.
Starting pitcher Matt Dingmann earned the win, giving up one run on five hits and no walks, and striking out six over five innings.
Offensively, the Express posted 10 hits. Hanan finished two-for-three with three RBI, and Matt Friesen two-for-five to lead the Express.