The Express finished off a wild string of games Sunday, July 27, beating the Eden Valley Hawks 8-7 in ten innings to capture the number one seed of the Central Valley North going into the upcoming Region 10C tourney. Coming into the weekend, the Express had to beat the Hawks two times in order to capture the number one seed. Sunday they did just that, winning game two in the bottom of the tenth inning on a suicide squeeze play. Both teams plated a run in the first inning. In the second inning, Eden Valley scored again to take a 2-1 lead. After the Hawks scored two more runs in the third inning they had a 4-1 lead over the Express. However that lead was short-lived as the Express erupted in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four runs. Joe Pennertz had the big hit as he cleared the bases with a two-run blast over the left centerfield wall of the Blue Monster to give the Express a 5-4 advantage. The Hawks tied it up in the next frame as Joby McCann led off with a triple and scored on an RBI single by Rob Ruhland. The Express came back in the bottom of the fourth to score one more to regain the lead 6-5. The score would stay that way until the eighth inning. Kris Hagen relieved Express starter Justin Hill in the eighth. Hagen recorded two outs before running into a bit of trouble as he gave up two singles and a two-run double to Ruhland to give the Hawks a 7-6 lead. Hagen pitched well but didn’t get any breaks. Down by one run in the bottom of the ninth, the Express scored to tie the game at 7-7. Brooks Marquardt doubled down the right field line and Jeremy Kuechle followed suit as he doubled over the head of the Hawks rightfielder, scoring Marquardt. On to the tenth inning both teams went, Jeremy Kuechle now pitching for the Express. Eden Valley scored a run in the top of the tenth to regain the lead. In the tenth inning Brian and Tom Marquardt singled, and Nate Turck was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brooks Marquardt hit a line drive to centerfield that landed just in front of Hawks centerfielder Dan Berg. This made all runners hesitate before advancing. Brian ended up scoring and Tom was forced out at third base for the first out. Jeremy Kuechle then singled to load the bases. With one out, Scott Marquardt laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to score Nate Turck from third with the game winning run. Jeremy Kuechle picked up his first win of the season. Justin Hill, who pitched well, got the no decision. Brooks Marquardt was 4-6 with a triple, double and three runs. Jeremy Kuechle was also 4-6 with two doubles to lead the Express offense. The win gives the Express a 29-5 record overall. Eden Valley The Express beat the Hawks 3-0 forcing a second game on Sunday in Kimball. Brooks Marquardt started on the mound for the Express and picked up the win. Brooks didn’t have his best stuff, but was still very effective as he threw a complete game shutout. Brooks struck out two and allowed no free passes, throwing strikes and letting his defense do the dirty work. The Express made some great plays in the field, throwing out a runner at the plate in the sixth inning and turning two double plays. The Express offense didn’t shine in the win as they struck out 11 times and only managed five hits compared to the 12 by the Hawks. But they did get some timely hitting in the third inning, once again by Nate Turck. Turck has two of the biggest hits in the Express season this year as he singled in the winning runs in Wednesday’s victory over the Lakers. In this game, he singled two very big insurance runs, drilling a ground ball single up the middle. Justin Hill and Brian Marquardt scored to earn the Express a 3-0 lead. The Express recorded three of their five hits in that inning. Eden Valley lefty Danny Hansen kept the Express hitters in check the rest of the way as he threw a complete game. Hansen pitched very well and had the Express hitters off balance all day. Pearl Lake Last Wednesday evening in Watkins the Express qualified for Region 10C play behind the timely hitting of Mike Arnold and Nate Turck and the pitching of Pat Arnold as they eliminated the Pearl Lake Lakers from playoff action, 3-1. Pat Arnold (9-0) got off to a shaky start, allowing a walk to the first batter of the game. After the first inning, Arnold did not allow another hit until the eighth inning. But in the fifth inning, Laker catcher Derek Garding reached base because Scott Marquardt was called for catchers interference, recorded as a hit in the books. Arnold struck out nine and gave up three hits as he went the distance, recording his second complete game of the season. The Lakers held a 1-0 advantage into the seventh inning. Then Mike Arnold got things rolling for the Express with a solo rocket shot over the left field fence, knotting the score at one a piece. Aaron Knaus followed that up with a double to the left centerfield gap and Justin Hill walked. Nate Turck singled both runners in with a slap single to right field. That was all Arnold needed as he struck out the side in the eighth and slammed the door shut on the Lakers season in the ninth. Mike Arnold finished the night 2-2 with a homerun and a RBI, Aaron Knaus was 3-3 with a double and Nate Turck was 1-3 with two RBIs to lead the Express offense. Hutchinson The Express traveled to Hutchinson to take on the Huskies in exhibition action, Friday evening . The Express lost for only the fifth time this season, 4-2. The Huskies scored two runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth. The Express could manage only two runs on six hits. Scott Marquardt doubled in the fourth inning and scored on an rbi single by Justin Hill. In the seventh inning, Joe Pennertz was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by Brian Marquardt. Kris Hagen started for the Express and took the loss. Hagen went six innings, allowing eight hits and four runs; striking out one and walking two. Justin Hill led the Express offensively, going 2-3 with a double and an RBI. Scott Marquardt was 1-4 with a double as well.
