SOLBERG, REBELS WALK OFF JAYS IN GAME ONE
Posted August 5, 2014
For the first time since the 2010 season, when the Rebels would eliminate the Holden Blue Jays in their PBL Semi-Final Series 2-1, the two teams would meet in a playoff game. Tonights game was also the first time the Rebels have been in the PBL Championship since being swept by the Leduc Milleteers in that same 2010 playoff run. The 5-3 win by the Rebels tonight in Ryley was the first PBL Championship Final win by the Rebels and they now have their sights set on one more to close out the 2014 season with a hoisting of the fabled PBL Championship Trophy.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | LB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holden Blue Jays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Ryley Rebels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
Win - Tom Shulba (2-1)
Loss - Kyle Muzechka
The Rebels would strike first in the series and it would happen early in the first inning as 1B Craig Koughan would connect on a Suprovich offering to score SS Dylan Solberg from first base on a RBI double. At the time that appeared to be all the offence that was needed as first year Rebel P Scott Koughan would get into cruise control through the first five innings retiring all fifteen Jays hitters he would face. Koughan would not allow a ball out of the infield through his five perfect innings and six in total collecting ten strikeouts, six ground ball outs and two infield pop flys. After Koughan would get another out to start the sixth inning, Trevor Bromby would end the perfect game via a single.
While Koughan was dealing for the Rebels, 2014 PBL All-Star P Grayson Suprovich was also throwing very well. The young right hander would scatter three hits throughout his six innings of work while striking out nine Rebels and walking four. The only run the Rebels would score off of Suprovich would be that first inning run and it would be unearned as with two outs SS Dylan Solberg would each on an error to SS Lane Skori ahead of the RBI double from 1B Craig Koughan. The Rebels would desperately try to get the offence ignited laying down a total of three sacrifice bunts against Suprovich, but would continually come up short as the Jays pitcher would work out of trouble striking out the next batter after each sacrifice bunts.
With the game moving along, the offences finally broke through in seventh inning for both teams. First the Jays would start with back to back singles off of Koughan before 2B Logan Skori would hit a RBI single to left field to score Suprovich from second base. On the play, LF Corey Epp would over run the ball allowing 1B Zack Lang to score as well as for Skori to stroll into second base to end the night of Koughan on the hill. The Rebels turned to new found closer P Tom Shulba who would take a couple of batters to settle in on the hill walking RF Brian Ziegler and Colten Ziegler to start his night. The Jays would score their third and final run off of the bat of Trevor Bromby as a throwing error to 1B Craig Koughan would score Skori. Shulba would get out of the inning with back to back Ziegler strikeouts with the bases loaded, first striking out CF Randall Ziegler then getting lead off man LF Allan Ziegler swining as well. Heading into the bottom of the seventh inning the Rebels found themselves 3-1 with the Jays turning to closer Kyle Muzechka. Cue the comeback.
Facing number nine hitter 2B Tyler Helgeland, Muzechka would give up a lead off single to the young Camrose native. LF Corey Epp would reach base with a walk and C Chad Nelson would make it a 3-2 game with a RBI single as the first three Rebels' hitters would all reach base safely against the lefty closer. With Epp and Nelson on base, SS Dylan Solberg would quickly find himself down 0-2. With the tying run in scoring position, Solberg would decide to go for the win and not the tie sending a Muzechka offering over the left field fence for a three run walk off home run and a 1-0 series lead. The ball was estimated to have traveled 300' from home plate but 457' up in the air as the hard swinging would get just enought back spin to carry it over the chainlink.
| Ryley Rebels Boxscore | PA | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corey Epp, LF | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .316 |
| Chad Nelson, C | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .386 |
| Dylan Solberg, SS | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| Craig Koughan, 1B | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .439 |
| Shawn Pilgaard, 3B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .351 |
| Kevin Reinholt, RF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .404 |
| Tom Shulba, CF-P | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .323 |
| Scott Koughan, P | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .231 |
| Tyson Schielke, CF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .308 |
| Tyler Helgeland, 2B | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .237 |
| Total | 30 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 8 | .332 |
| Rebels Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | BF | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Koughan | 6.33 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 23 | 2.73 |
| Tom Shulba (W, 2-1) | 0.67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0.00 |
| Holden Blue Jays Boxscore | PA | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allan Ziegler, LF | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| Grayson Suprovich, P | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 |
| Zack Lang, 1B | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 |
| Braedon Majeski, C | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Logan Skori, 2B | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| Brian Ziegler, RF | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 |
| Chance Friend, 3B | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Colton Ziegler, | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Lane Skori, SS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Trevor Bromby | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Randall Ziegler, CF | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| Total | 28 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | .154 |
| Blue Jays Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | BF | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayson Suprovich | 6.00 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 26 | 0.00 |
| Kyle Muzechka (L) | 0.00 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.00 |
The win now puts the Rebels in a great position for only needing to win one of the next two games to clinch their first PBL Championship since 2000. It is expected that the Jays will turn to 2014 All-Star P Logan Skori for game two, while the Rebels have a fully rested pitching staff which may see Corey Epp, Craig Koughan, Don Oslund, Shawn Pilgaard or Tom Shulba start game two with plenty of options if game three is necessary.
Game two will be in Holden tomorrow night with game three set for Ryley on Thursday if necessary. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00pm as the Rebels will go for the series sweep against the Jays.