Rebels loss doesn’t sour respectful evening

Even the toughest of tough guys can get choked up on a sports field.

Sunday marked the opening of the Powerline Baseball League season, but the opener this season between Ryley and Bardo was more sweet than the usual bitterness in this bittersweet rivalry.

A pre-game tribute to Curt Stensrud allowed both teams to share a moment together as Kevin Reinholt of the Ryley Rebels had a quick speech for their fallen teammate.

Stensrud was one of the proudest when the Rebels defeated Bardo in the PBLs 2011 one-game playdownto make the playoffs last year. That’s why the league decided a special Sunday-night opening was fitting for the PBL this season.

In the end, Bardo won the game 8-1, with Ryley we think winning a final extra frames played for fun. Mike LeCalire and Dylan Solberg launching home runs for Bardo and Ryley respectively on an extremely windy night early in the game.

Getting the win on the hill for Bardo was Ray Lehman, who’d reportedly retired before the season.

”My wife pushed me to come out given the night,” Lehman said. “I had goose bumps this morning about the game. It’s hard to give this game up.”

The Rebels, although beaten, have some new recruits and one game make not a season. Things get back to normal for the scrappy bunch on Thursday, but everyone knows this won’t be a normal season.

Sunday night brought a little more closure. However, as we all know, Stensrud will be with them the Rebels for the rest of time. And now it’s time to move on, enjoy the games and go out and win a few.

It will come soon.

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Jason Buzzell