Milleteers Walk Off In Extras At Telus

On a beautiful night for a ball game in front of a record size PBL crowd the Bardo Athletics and the Leduc Milleteers squared off at Telus Field as the entertainment for the Oilers Rookies in the luxury box. Nail Yakopov approved of the well played game. In fact it might have been the first error free PBL game in recent memory. Funny how a well groomed field would improve the defense exponentially. The crowd was even big enough to do the wave in the sixth inning. It was a treat to play on the same field that many major league greats like Tim Salmon and Johan Santana used to grace.

With the game having playoff implications as the Milleteers were looking to
wrap up first, while Bardo was looking for a win to help them stay in the hunt,
the game had a little extra intensity. On the mound tonight young Mark Walker
faced off against veteran Ryan Olsen. Walker was excellent in his three innings
as he fanned five and kept Bardo off the board. Olsen was touched up for a run
in the first on a Trevor Pahl astro turf double, then he wriggled out of a big
jam in the fourth, only giving up one run.

After that both teams went to the bullpen. The Milleteers turned to big
righty Murray Doyle, but he could only go one inning after his elbow tightened
up. The Athletics started a rally, but despite seeing first hand in the All
Star game on Tuesday the strength of RF Kirk Smith’s arm, Ryan Olsen decided to
test it anyway as he tried to score from second a Ray Lehman single, but was cut
down at the plate by ten feet. The Milleteers then turned to veteran Shawn
Brinkworth, but the Athletics chased him after he gave up two runs on three hits
to begin the fifth. Flame thrower Jon Anstey came in to halt the rally, but the
damage was done and the game was tied.

Bardo went with PBL legend Ray Lehman on the mound in the fifth, and he was
in fine form as he kept putting up zeros to give his team a chance to win. When
the Milleteers did hit the ball hard the Bardo defense always seemed to be in
the right place at the right time as they turned two double plays and snared
multiple liners in the outfield to keep the game even.

The Athletics threatened to score in both the seventh and eighth innings as
they managed to get the leadoff batter into scoring position both innings off of
hard throwing reliever Brad Engel, but both times Engel dug deep and the defense
held as Bardo failed to capitalize.

In the bottom of the eighth the Milleteers finally got to Lehman. With two
outs and nobody on 1B Steven Pahl poked a single through the left side to get it
started. RF Kirk Smith then drew a walk to put the runner in scoring position
with the Milleteers hottest hitter at the plate, Jon Anstey. Anstey came thru
with his third hit of the game, and with the 240lb Pahl rumbling around third it
looked like there would be a play at the plate, but the throw was off line, and
the Milleteers came out on top in another Leduc-Bardo classic.

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Steven Pahl