Milleteers Comeback In Holden

The Milleteers strolled into Holden tonight looking to avenge their only loss of the season to remain atop the standings in the PBL, while the surprisingly struggling Jays looked to clip the the champs again at home to claw themselves back to 0.500. The Milleteers jumped on Blue Jays starter Steve Hrabec early as Jon Anstey lead off with a line drive single, followed by a deep double from CF Kevin Doyle and a single up the middle from 1B Steven Pahl for a two run lead. Hrabec would settle down after that and put up a few zeros to give his team a chance to get back in it.

 

Murray Doyle got the start for the Milleteers as he had looked sharp so far this year and continued to pitch well as he cruised through the first two innings. The wheels fell off in the third though as the number nine hitter stroked a double to lead off before a bloop and a walk loaded the bases for PBL veteran Pat Kawaliuk. Doyle though he had the veteran rung up on a curve at the knees, but the vet got the call from the ump and a run was walked in which seemed to unnerve Doyle a bit as he gave up a couple of hard hit singles before digging deep and stopping the rally at five. Doyle came back out and had a clean fourth before giving way to hard throwing Brad Engel who gave the Milleteers two scoreless and a chance to get back in it.

 

After the Milleteers snuck one across in the fourth the Jays turned to last year’s PBL pitcher of the year Kyle Muzechka. Fresh off a Canadian College Championship run with the Lethbridge PBA Dawgs the lefty had no problems mowing down the top of the order in the fifth. The sixth was a different story though as the Milleteers capitalized on a two out error that put a runner on second. Shortstop Jason Russell then came up with a single up the middle and then 2B Shawn Brinkworth beat out a swinging bunt to score a run. Then on the first pitch Brinkworth broke for second as the lefty tried to pick him off, but he beat the throw for a SB while Russell scored from third on the double steal to tie it.

 

 

In the top of the seventh Anstey led off with a hard single up the middle and then was sacrificed over to second. Kevin Doyle came up and stroked a double to the gap to take the lead, then the Milleteers loaded the bases on some free passes and put it away with another double from Russell to give him 4 RBIs on the night. Anstey would come on to strike out the side in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win.

Next up for the Milleteers is a Friday night tilt in Camrose to kick off the Axemen tournament.

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Steven Pahl