Signs of spring are prevalent as some warmer days are being endured. With the recent rain everything around us is coming to life, including the local nine that play for the Kimball Express. As the gloves get dusted off, the spikes get polished and the bats get the first coating of pine tar, baseball season in Kimball is approaching with lightning speed. The Express are all set to embark on the 2007 campaign with most everyone coming back from last season squad. Joe Pennertz and Mike Arnold look to make a return to the diamond this summer as they both took a leave of absence from the team last year. Arnold and Pennertz come back adding more fire power to an already explosive lineup from a year ago where the Express were once again knocking on the door to make a state tourney appearance. Manager Tom Marquardt’s Express team sported a 21-13 record overall last year and an 11-3 mark in the league claiming the CVL South regular season and the CVL South playoff championship honors propelling them into Region 11C play. The Express were finally ousted from the double elimination region tournament after losing to the Loretto Larks 2-1 on the last day of play coming up just short of a state tourney berth. Opening day for the Express is Sunday, April 15, at home against Staples. The next weekend, Sunday, April 22, the Express host the Cold Spring Rockies as they kick off Central Valley League play. Twenty-five games are scheduled; not included in the 25-game mix is the Freeport Black Sox Tournament, which will be held May 18-20 in Freeport. There will be plenty of games to go around as the Express roster has the most players on it in recent memory with 19. Along with everyone coming back and the re-emergence of Arnold and Pennertz the Express also welcome Kyle LeClaire a youngster from the St. Augusta area and a 2006 graduate of Cathedral High School. Kyle’s interest in playing for the Express stems from his desire to play for a small town baseball team with a nice field. He learned of the Kimball Express through a mutual friend of him and Brooks Marquardt. Another newcomer to this year’s squad is Brett Thompson. Brett is a 2005 Annandale High School graduate and hasn’t played any baseball since high school. Annandale does not field an amateur team and his buddy Ramsey Simons who started with the Express last year has talked him into giving it a shot with the Express this year. News & Notes The Express would like to remind everyone of the first annual Bean Bag Tournament, which will at 1 p.m. April 14 at Kimball Veterans Memorial Field. Contact Aaron Knaus at (320) 398-2149 if you would like to get a team entered. The cost is $25 per team (teams consist of two persons) with a 50 percent payout. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. Food, beverages and music will be provided. All proceeds go towards continued improvements of Veterans Memorial Field. From Patrick Arnold
