The Kimball Express had a busy week playing three games in five days, winning two of three with Adam Beyer slugging the Express to the win over St. Augusta Wednesday night, St. Cloud Orthopedic squeaked out a 4-3 win Saturday over the Express and a 12-0 seven inning victory over St. Nick Sunday. Sunday afternoon on a steamy windy afternoon at Veterans Memorial Field in Kimball the Express offense exploded for twelve runs on 18 hits and right hander Pat Arnold went seven complete innings to pick up the victory as the Express defeated the St. Nicholas Nicks in Central Valley League action. Brooks Marquardt, Mike Arnold and Pat Arnold all homered to lead the Express offensively. Kimball opened the scoring in the second inning on an Aaron Knaus rbi ground out followed by Pat Arnold’s first homerun of the year to give the Express a 2-0 lead as that was all they would need. Kimball added four more runs in the third inning with the highlights being a Brooks Marquardt moon shot homerun that cleared the oak tree in left field and an rbi triple by Scott Marquardt making it 6-0. Mike Arnold got his bat going in the fourth inning belting a line drive solo homerun to left field as the Express plated two more in the fourth and added four more runs in the sixth inning to make it 12-0. Pat Arnold picked up his first win of the year getting the three hit complete game shutout striking out four and walking one. St. Cloud Orthopedic Ice In non-league play on Saturday, the Express hosted the Orthopedic Ice of St. Cloud and came up on the short end losing 4-3 at sunny Veterans Memorial Field. The Express jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the third inning as Matt Dingman singled followed by back to back to back doubles by Jim Brubaker, Scott Marquardt and Adam Beyer with Marquardt driving in two runs and Beyer’s hit bringing in another run. The Ice answered with one run in the top of the fourth inning and then struck again in the sixth inning taking the lead for good on a Ryan O’Hara three run double as the Ice captured a 4-3 lead that they would not relinquish. Brett Thompson pitched all seven innings for the Express as before the game both teams agreed to only playing seven innings. Thompson pitched well enough to get the win. The Express had some untimely fielding in the sixth inning leading to the Ice’s big inning. Thompson struck out 2, walked two hit one batter and allowed seven hits. St. Augusta Wednesday evening in Watkins the Kimball Express was the home team as they defeated the St. Augusta 3-2 in Central Valley League play. Adam Beyer blasted a two run homer to tie the game up at 2-2 in the fourth inning and Ramsey Simons added what turned out to be the game winning rbi single to give the Express the lead and the win at 3-2. Brian Marquardt started on the mound going six innings picking up the win. Brian allowed 8 hits, struck out two walked threee and hit one batter before being relieved by brother Brooks Marquardt in the seventh inning. Brooks pitched two innings of scoreless relief giving way to Jim Brubaker in the ninth as Brubaker slammed the door on any hopes of a Gussie comeback. Leading the Express offensively was Beyer going 1-3 on the night with the homerun and two rbi, Aaron Knaus went 2-3 with a pair of singles and Ramsey Simons was 1-3 with the rbi single. Rail Report The Express now sit 4-2 overall and 3-1 in CVL play. The Express have the week off until they are back in action again Saturday May 19 as they take on the Lonsdale Aces at 11:00 in the Freeport Black Sox Tournament. The game against Lonsdale will be played in New Munich. Mother’s Day dinner The Express would like to thank everyone who came out to the 21st Annual Mother’s Day Chicken and Ham Dinner. There were 537 people served over the two-hour period. The money raised goes towards further improvements to Veterans Memorial Field. The Express also would like to thank the entire Playland Ballroom staff for doing another wonderful job in preparing this year’s meal. Thanks again for everyone who came out and supported the Express. Patrick Arnold
