It was beautiful weather for amateur baseball this past weekend and the Kimball Express took full advantage winning two games. A 2-1 win over the mighty Cold Spring Springers at home on Saturday and a 13-9 win on Sunday as they downed the Luxemburg Brewers in Central Valley League action in Luxemburg. On Sunday the Express offense picked up the slack as starting pitching was a problem. A 2-1 lead turned into a 9-1 margin after a seven run third inning giving the Express an early comfortable lead. Jim Brubaker connected for a three run shot and Ramsey Simons did some yard work of his own blasting a two run shot over the right field wall. Scott Marquardt added a two run single in the big inning. That should have been enough for starter Pat Arnold who struggled all day with control and let the Brewers back in the game walking six batters and hitting one as he only went 4 1/3 innings. Arnold was relieved in the fifth inning by Brett Thompson. Arnold was tagged for six runs in the game. Thompson picks up the win pitching 2 2/3 innings allowing three runs. For the record, Arnold did not complete five full innings on the mound; therefore even though the Express held the lead the entire game, he does not pick up the win. The score was 10-9 after seven innings of play. The Express cushioned its lead in the top of the ninth scoring three runs an RBI single by Adam Beyer and an RBI sac fly by Joe Pennertz. Pat Arnold scored from third on a wild pitch. Brooks Marquardt picked up the save pitching the final two innings striking out two and allowing no runs. Six players collected two or more hits for the Express Sunday. Jim Brubaker was 2-4 with a three run homerun, scored three runs and had three RBIs on the day. Scott Marquardt was 3-5 with a double and two RBI; he also scored three runs. Joe Pennertz went 2-3 collecting two RBIs and scoring two runs. Adam Beyer had two hits going 2-4 driving in a pair, as well, and Ramsey Simons went 1-4 on the day, his hit being a big two-run homerun in the third inning. Cold Spring Springers Saturday the Express hosted the perennial Class B powerhouse Cold Spring Springers coming away with a 2-1 win behind the pitching of Jim Brubaker who went the distance striking out four while scattering eight hits picking up the complete game victory. An Aaron Knaus RBI ground-out in the second inning put the Express on the board and gave them the early 1-0 lead. The Springers tied it up in the fifth inning as Ryan Holthaus grounded out to second base driving in the tying run as the two teams were dead locked at 1-1. In the sixth inning, the Express regained the lead on a solo homerun by Pat Arnold making it 2-1 and that is the way it stayed the rest of the game as both pitchers went the distance. Springer starter Rick Burtzel pitched well enough for Cold Spring, but couldn’t get the offensive help. The game moved along quickly and crisply as both teams played good defense with no errors on either side.
