Howard Lake After a 10 day break, a rejuvenated Kimball Express ball club took on the Howard Lake Orphans Wednesday, July 7. They won the 17th game of the season in exhibition action at Memorial Park in Howard Lake, 9-4. Kimball jumped to a 4-0 lead after three innings and were up 7-1 before the Orphans rallied for three runs in the seventh. The Express added one run in the eighth and another in the ninth to make the final score 9-4. Scott Marquardt led the offense, going 3-5 with three RBIs and a triple, leading the two-run seventh inning. Pat Arnold also had a good night at the plate going 2-3 with four RBIs. The big hit off Arnold’s bat was a two-run double in the seventh inning. Joe Pennertz finished the night 3-5 with two stolen bases. Aaron Knaus also chipped in with a 2-3 night at the plate to score two runs. Pitcher Brooks Marquardt improved to 5-1 for the season with his fourth start of the year. Marquardt pitched five innings, allowed two hits and no walks, and struck out two. Brooks allowed one run in the fourth inning before being relieved by his brother Brian Marquardt in the sixth. Brian pitched a scoreless inning. Joe Krippner relieved Brian in the seventh. He pitched two innings and gave up three runs in a rough outing. Krippner recovered well after a rocky seventh inning and pitched a scoreless eighth. Jeremy Kuechle came on in the ninth and faced three batters as he slammed the door shut on the Orphans’ hopes for a comeback. Eden Valley The Express rallied from a 5-1 deficit Friday, July 9, in Eden Valley. They downed the Eden Valley Hawks 8-5 in Central Valley League (CVL) action to take the season series. Jeremy Kuechle’s RBI-triple scored Brooks Marquardt to tie the game at 5-5 in the fifth inning. Scott Marquardt triple plated Kuechle to give the Express the lead for the remainder of the game. They added one run in the seventh inning, and another in the eighth, to make the final score 8-5. Eden Valley jumped all over Express starter Pat Arnold in the first inning – they scored all five runs off four singles and a hits batsman. Arnold settled down after a rocky first inning and put zeros across the board through the next seven innings, picking up the win to bring his record to 6-1 for the season. Jeremy Kuechle recorded his third save of the season during the ninth inning. The Express offense hit the ball hard with four triples. Catcher Scott Marquardt led an amazing offense by hitting for the cycle. Marquardt doubled in his first at bat, had a homerun in his second at bat, tripled in his third at bat, and scorched a single in his fourth at bat. This is the first time an Express player has hit for the cycle in recent history. Scott finished the night 4-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Congratulations to Scott and his awesome night at the plate. Cold Spring The Cold Spring Rockies visited Kimball Sunday, July 11, and beat the Express 11-4 in a wild finish at Kimball Veterans Memorial Field during CVL play. The Express were in control and looked like they would clinch their ninth league win of the year as they led 3-1 going into the eighth. Cold Spring tied the game up with two outs in the top of the eighth inning on an Express throwing error that could have ended the inning. The Express came right back in the bottom of the eighth with bases loaded and one out, but came up empty after a strike-out and a fly-out to end the threat. Brooks Marquardt started for the Express and pitched a gem of a game. He went eight strong innings, allowed three runs with only one earned run, struck out seven and walked three. The game was tied going into the ninth inning and the flood gates opened as the Rockies unleashed the bats and scored eight runs on six hits. Joe Krippner relieved Brooks to start the ninth, but was quickly replaced by Jeremy Kuechle. Krippner took the loss and the Express went down in flames after having the game in the palm of their hands. Kimball out-hit the Rockies 11-10 in the game, but committed three crucial errors compared to the Rockies’ one error. Offensively the Express were once again led by Scott Marquardt who was 2-5 with a double and two RBIs, Nate Turck was 3-4, and Brian Marquardt 2-4. Rail Report The two wins and the loss Sunday give the Express an 8-6 CVL record and are now 18-8 overall. The Express played against St. Augusta in Watkins Tuesday, July 13, to finish out the regular season in a make-up game with the Gussies. The Express will be in Maple Lake at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, to take on the Lakers in exhibition action. The Express start the CVL playoffs at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 18. It is likely that they will face the St. Nicholas Nicks in Kimball. Injury report Mike Arnold was put on the injured list during Sunday’s game against the Rockies. He aggravated a previously pulled calf muscle in his right leg. Arnold first hurt the muscle during the Miller Lite Invitational Tournament in Green Isle and Arlington. He is day-to-day and will most likely sit out the two games this week and will look to get back on the field in the playoff opener Sunday. Pitcher Kris Hagen looks to make his first start Wednesday in Maple Lake after being on the shelf for more than a month with a hairline fracture in his throwing arm. Hagen threw a mini-bullpen session Sunday and feels good enough to give it a go. The Express look to make back-to-back state tournament appearances for the first time since the 1984-85 season. They need two wins in the CVL playoffs to advance to regional play. The 2004 regional tournament is scheduled to be in Watkins this year. Come to a game and support the “boys of summer” before the season is over.
