A cool afternoon with a rain-snow mix couldn’t keep the Pearl Lake Lakers from winning their first game of the year, beating the Kimball Express in Central Valley League action Sunday, May 2. The Lakers took the lead, 5-4, in the bottom of the seventh inning when Jim Schlangen singled Brian Hennen home. The loss knocks the Express record to 1-2. The Lakers were the first to score in the bottom of the third inning. They loaded the bases and got a big two-out, two-run single by Steve Loesch, bringing the Lakers to an early 2-0 lead. The Express came right back in the top of the fourth, plating three runs to take the lead, 3-2. The two teams went back and forth for the next three innings. The Lakers tied the score in the bottom of the fourth, and Kimball grabbed the lead in the fifth. Their lead didn’t last long – the Lakers tied it up again in the sixth, and took the lead for good with a hit by Schlangen in the seventh. After three weeks of CVL action, not one team is undefeated. Pearl Lake came into Sunday’s game 0-2 and ready to show someone they were better than that. A great pitching performance from Laker’s starter Dale Kraemer earned the teams’ first win. Pat Arnold (1-1) went the distance for Kimball and took the loss. The Lakers out hit the Express 13-6. Joe Pennertz was 2-4 with a run scored for the Express. No other Express player earned more than one hit. Rail report Things heat up for the Express next weekend, with two games on the docket. The team will play at home Saturday, May 8, against the Luxemburg Brewers (2-2 CVL). Game time is 2 p.m. at Kimball Veterans Memorial Field. On Sunday, May 9, the Express travel to St. Nicholas (2-1 CVL) to take on the Nicks. A special 3 p.m. first pitch is slated for Sunday, as the Express will host the annual Mother’s Day dinner from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Playland Ballroom. We look forward to seeing everyone at Playland on Sunday. If you can’t make the dinner come on out to the ballpark Saturday or Sunday to catch the Express in action.
