KOUGHAN DEALS GEM VS ANGELS

After a disappointing 7-6 loss to the Beaumont Angels last Thursday, the Rebels were put into a situation that required them to try and win at least four of the remaining six games to have a hope at making the playoffs. They took a big first step towards that goal on Tuesday night, routing the Angels by a score of 15-0 in the mercy rule shortened game. The story of the game was the bounce back performance of P Scott Koughan would would face the minimum of fifteen hitters to earn his second win of his rookie season. 

Win - Scott Koughan (2-2)

Loss - Marc Villineuve

On July 2, the Angels were able to bang out nineteen hits against the Rebels pitching duo of Craig Koughan and Don Oslund. On Tuesday night, the bats seemed all but dried up as Scott Koughan would surrender only a pair of singles to the Angels and did not allow a Beaumont runner to reach second base. In the second inning 1B Bubba Breitkreuz would reach on a single up the middle but would be eliminated on a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. In the thrid inning, C Ryan Lehman would reach via single to lead off the inning, but would be eliminated on yet another inning ending double play, this time on a comebacker to Koughan. Of the fifteen outs recorded, Koughan would get five Angels to pop up in the infield and another two via the strikeout in what some fans called a clinic on the hill. The perfornance by the former Fort Saskatchewan Athletic, has fans hoping that Koughan has figured out how to get PBL hitters out after a rough couple of starts which saw bleeder after bleeder from opponents. 

While Koughan was making the Beaumont offense a non-factor, the Rebels hitters came alive against P Marc Villineuve as they would put up ten runs in the first inning over fifteen plate appearances. After getting LF Corey Epp swining to start the home half of the first, Villineuve quickly found himself in trouble walking C Chad Nelson and hitting SS Dylan Solberg before giving up a RBI single to 1B Craig Koughan. The Rebels would then go on to score nine more runs in the inning, all with two outs as Villineuve would walk five Rebels and give up another five hits including RBI doubles to 2B Brian Tavaroli and SS Dylan Solberg. The defense of the Angels had their fair share of issues to start the game as there were three errors recorded in the first inning, leading to five unearned runs. 

The Rebels offense would string together more runs in the third inning after getting shutout in the second inning and again the runs came pouring in with two outs. C Chad Nelson and SS Dylan Solberg would be retired in order to start the inning before back to back to back singles by 1B Craig Koughan, RF Kevin Reinholt and 3B Shawn Pilgaard loaded the bases. Villineuve would issue his second bases loaded walk of the inning, this time to 2B Brian Tavaroli ahead of CF Tom Shulba's two RBI single to extend the lead to 14-0 Rebels. LF Corey Epp would collect the final Rebels run on a RBI single to left field to score Shulba from second base after the eight and final walk by Villineuve was givien up to P Scott Koughan. 

The win for the Rebels puts momentum back into the blue and black's corner after a very deflating loss last Thursday to the same Angels team. It will also mean that the third and final meeting between these two teams, scheduled for Monday July 14 in Beaumont, will once again be a huge game, not only in the season series but with playoffs on the line. The Rebels are chasing the Angels and the Leduc Milleteers for the fourth and final playoff spot as this year the PBL has five teams battling for only four playoff spots.

(5-4) Rebels remaining games - @Camrose, @Camrose, @Beaumont, vs Armena, vs Leduc

(7-4) Angels remaining games - @Camrose, vs Bardo, vs Ryley

(7-5) Milleteers remaining games - vs Holden, @Ryley