Always a highlight of the year traveling to the mini-met in Jordan.  What a beautiful fan/player friendly field.  That's exactly what the Outlaws did on a beautiful Saturday afternoon for baseball.  The Outlaws once again went to battle with a 9 man crew.  Frank Mackall joined the Outlaws for the first time anchoring coaching duties at first base.  

Brad Busch took the mound for the home Jordan Alers.  As he pretty much always does, Sam Baumgartner opened play for the Outlaws by reaching base.  Sammy reached with a base hit.  Chris "Nellie" Nelson quickly moved Sammy into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.  One batter later Magic Mike Roth drove in Bammers with an RBI single.  Mikey advanced to 2nd base on the play at the plate.  Jeff Appel followed up Roth with a base hit of his own to right-center field.  Roth was not able to score on the play but drew a throw to home plate that allowed Appel to roll into scoring position at 2nd base.  Jordan hurler Busch ended the scoring at 1 run however by pitching the third out on a fly ball to left field.  

Jeff Appel would deal for the Outlaws and quickly retire the first two batters in the bottom of the 1st.  With two outs K. Helmbaher singled.  An errant pick off throw then allowed Helmbaher to advance to third base.  As typically happens in baseball if free bases are allowed...the next batter, Derek Bruise singled and tied the game at 1-1.  The inning would then end on a pop up to short.

In the top of the 2nd, Brad Busch pitched around a lead off single from Jeff "Spanky" Miller, retiring the next three Outlaws in order.  An infield single from Pat Wolmrig and B. Nifen somehow reaching, (book doesn't say) put the Alers in business in the home half of 2nd with nobody out.  Appel then pitched a roller back to the mound and started a 1-6-3 double play.  The play went Jeff Appel to Robb Larson and over to stretching Troy Appel.  With a runner on third, the next Aler hitter rolled one to Troy Appel who tossed to a first base covering Jeff Appel to end the scoreless inning. 

 

With one out in the top of the third Ryan Meyer pulled a base hit through the right side.  Mike Roth then pushed the Outlaws back in front 3-1 by driving a Busch fastball deep over the left field fence for a 2 run home run.  Busch would get the next two Outlaws hitters to pop out and get out of the inning surrendering the two runs.  Jeff Appel would pitch around a Bryon Smith single to toss another scoreless frame and keep the Outlaws in front 3-1 after three innings.

The top of the 4th opened with Jeff Miller collecting his second hit of the day followed by a Troy Appel single.  With two runners on Cory Van Briesen put down a perfect bunt and reached base with a single.  Jeff Miller ended up scoring on the play as the throw got away from the first baseman.  Sam Baumgartner then loaded up the bases after being plunked.  Chris "Nellie" Nelson then drove in the second run of the inning by smacking a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Troy Appel.  One out later Mike Roth would work a base on balls but the half inning ended one batter later with the Outlaws moving the lead to 5-1.  The Alers would strike back in the bottom of the 4th using two Outlaw errors and a walk to plate 2 runs of their own and closing the gap to 5-3.  

Brad Busch worked a perfect top of the 5th retiring the Outlaws in order and leaving the score at 5-3.  Jeff Appel followed suit putting the Alers down in order and securing his second strikeout of the day.  5 innings would be the end of Jeff's day on the mound, giving up 4 hits and striking out the two Aler hitters.

The top of the 6th saw Busch tire a bit and give up back to back walks to Cory Van Briesen and Sam Baumgartner to open the inning.  Busch got the next hitter on a fielders choice with Van Briesen being retired at third base.  One batter later Sammy would move up to third base on yet another fielders choice with Nellie being erased at 2nd base.  With runners on the corners Mike Roth had a marathon battle fouling off many pitches before working a base on balls.  During Roth's at bat Sammy was able to score on a passed ball moving the Outlaw lead out to 6-1.  I think this is where the Alers put in a new pitcher, but I once again can't remember.  With two outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, Jeff Appel lined a first pitch offering to the outfield driving in Ryan Meyer and moving the Outlaw lead to 7-3.  The two runs would be the extent of the scoring as the next Outlaw was nabbed on a grounder to third.  Jeff Miller came on in relief of Appel in the sixth and made quick work of the Alers by setting them down in order. 

This is beginning to sound like a broken record, but Jeff Miller led of the 7th with his third single of the day.  Miller's single was the only magic for the Outlaws in the 7th however and the score remained 7-3.  Spanky was back at it in the home half slicing through the Aler line up 1-2-3 locking up the victory and adding his 2nd strikeout.  

With the win the Outlaws improved to 3-3 in league play.  Jeff Appel earned his first Outlaws victory tossing 5 innings and Jeff Miller slammed the door shut pitching two perfect innings in relief.  Mike Roth led all Outlaw hitters going 2 for 2 with a bomb, a single, two walks and 3 RBI's and a run scored.  Jeff Miller was nearly perfect going 3 for 4 at the plate with three singles and a run scored. Jeff Appel was 2 for 4 with two singles and an RBI.  Cory Van Briesen was 1 for 2 with a single a walk and a stolen base.  Sam Baumgartner was 1 for 3 with a single and 2 runs scored.  Ryan Meyer was 1 for 3 with a single, 2 runs scored and a stolen base.  Troy Appel rounded out the Outlaws hitting going 1 for 4 with a run scored.  Chris Nelson added two sacrifices including a sac fly to drive in a run.