In two of the first four innings, the Express pitching staff gave up at least five runs to the Pearl Lake Lakers, but still found a way to end the game after seven innings. Behind an opportunistic, 16-hit offensive performance, the Express pulled away on the baseball field to win by a football-type score of 22-12 on the road on June 1.
Over the first four innings, the teams combined to score 27 runs. After four innings, the Express held a 15-12 edge. The Express posted eight runs in the first, three in both the second and third innings, and one in the fourth. Meanwhile, the Lakers posted one run in the first, five in the second, and six in the fourth.
The Express pulled away by scoring seven unanswered runs, including three in the sixth and four more in the seventh.
Offensively, Matt Friesen led the Express, finishing five-for-six with four RBI. Cade Marquardt finished four-for-five with four RBI, Adam Beyer three-for-three with three RBI, and Ben Johnson two-for-four with four RBI and a team-high four runs scored to also pace the team.
The Express also took advantage of some Lakers’ misplays. For the game, the Lakers committed four errors, helping lead to 10 unearned runs.
Joe Hess, the second of three Express pitchers to appear in this game, earned the win, giving up four runs on three hits, three hit batters and four walks, and striking out five over three and one-third innings.