Mid-Week Games Bring Ups and Downs

This week brought two more non-league teams to Cologne. The Arlington A's came to Cologne for Tuesday night's ballgame. The A's struck early as they put one run on the board in the first inning. The Hollanders tied it up in the second inning as Tim Swanson led the inning off with a single. Swanson's courtesy runner stole second and scored on the error as Austin Pysick hit a ground ball through the legs of Arlington's second baseman.. Two more runs were added in Cologne's half of the  third. Tanner Luebke got hit by a pitch, Carter Clemensen reach first on a fielder's choice as the A's got Tanner at second, and then Kyle Brazil came up big with a two-run homerun. Arlington then cut the lead in half by scoring one run in the fifth. Cologne then managed to add to the lead in the sixth as they capitalized on walks and wild pitches. With two outs Alex Meeker drew the base on balls, followed by a Brandon Fritz single, and then three walks in a row to Zack Nelson, Casey Clemensen, and Tanner Luebke brought in three Hollander runs. Arlington got their third and final run in the seventh, but Cologne responded with three more as Joey Lilya singled, Cam Conlin reached on an error, Fritz walked, Zack Nelson hit a two RBI single, and Casey brought in one with a fielder's choice. Cologne pitchers threw well all night. Kyle Twait got the start and threw four innings giving up two runs off of three A's hits. Carter Clemenson came into relieve Twait in the fifth and threw four innings giving up one unearned run off of no hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts. Kyle Brazil finished off the game as he threw the ninth giving up zero runs on no hits and one strikeout. The Hollanders picked up the win with a final score of ten to three.

The Hollanders were right back to it Wednesday night with a showdown with the Class B Chaska Cubs. The Hollanders started their offensive night out with a bang as Tanner Luebke hit a lead off homerun in the first inning. The Cubs were able to score one in the top of the second and could've been more if weren't for a great Hollander's play. With two runners on, Chaska's lead-off hitter roped a double to deep left-center. As Chaska's run scored the next runner was being waved on home. From the wall, Tanner Luebke threw a dart to the cut-off man in which Carter Clemensen relayed the ball to catcher Tim Swanson to throw the runner out at the plate. The Cubs took the lead in the third and added two more in the sixth. The Hollanders were able to come up big and take advantage of the Cubs' misplays. With one out, Tim Swanson got a hit. Alex Meeker came up and put a deep fly ball to where a warning track should be but the left fielder snagged the ball for the second out. Jon Kummer was up next at the plate and he also hit a deep fly ball, but this time instead of a nice catch the ball went off the center fielder's glove. The Hollanders scored two off the error. With Kummer on second, Joey Lilya hit a rope that went under the diving center fielder's mitt and went to wall. Lilya picked up the RBI with a triple. Tanner Luebke brought home Lilya on single. With the Hollanders up one, Alex Meeker held the Cubs scoreless, but the Hollander's Achilles Heel managed to come up again. Luebke was brough in the close the game out for the ninth inning. Cubs lead-off batter reached on an error. With two strikes, the next batter was able to scoot one through the infield allowing the already moving runner to third. A sacfrice fly to right brought in the tying run and a single brought in the go ahead and game winning run. The Hollander pitchers on the whole threw great for the course of the game. The Cubs were just able to take advantage of opportunites and Cologne miscues. Zack Nelson started the game and gave up four runs (three earned) off of eight hits, four walks and one strikeout in his 5-1/3 innings pitched. Alex Meeker came in in the sixth and thwarted what was looking like a big Chaska inning. Meeks gave up zero runs, one hit, and one walk while striking out one in his 2-2/3 innings of work. Although things didn't go as Tanner planned he still threw well giving up zero walks and two runs runs (one earned) while picking up two strikeouts in his one inning. The Hollanders bats were not quiet against the tough Cubs pitchers. Tanner Luebke, Carter Clemensen. Tim Swanson, and Joey Lilya all got two hits on the evening. Tanner Luebke was able to pick up two RBIs and Joey Lilya was able to get one. Casey Clemensen and Kyle Brazil added the hit column as they each got one hit.

The Hollanders are back to league play Friday night when the New Germany Dutchmen come to town for Cologne's annual Fill the Hill night. The game is scheduled for 7:30pm, but festivities should be starting earlier than that. Seey'all at the ballpark.

Ga Hollanders!