Milleteers Welcome Beaumont to the League In Final Preseason Tilt

The Milleteers hosted the Beaumont Angels in their first ever game in a PBL preseason game Tuesday night as the Milleteers triumphed 7-4.  For the third game in a row the Milleteers got to face a left handed starter, and for the third game in a row the Milleteers drew a ton of walks, but failed to bust it open with some timely hitting.

 

With the Milleteers short on arms after the weekend festivities they gave the ball to veteran junk baller Shawn Brinkworth.  After mediocre results the past few seasons Brinkworth decided to work on his knuckler in the offseason and it looked great tonight as the Angel hitters didn’t get a sniff when he threw it as he had seven strikeouts in his four innings of work to get the win.  The Angels did plate two off Brinkworth as they were able to connect on a couple of fastballs, but the knuckler was dancing.

 

On the sticks the Milleteers could only muster seven runs despite drawing 12 walks and another 3 errors as they couldn’t buy a hit with runners in scoring position for most of the game.  Defensively they only made one error and had another web gem from center fielder Zack Leach.

 

In the fifth the Milleteers turned to the bullpen and brought in hard throwing Kirk Smith.  Smith must of spent the off season in a sports psychologist’s office as he was dynamite tonight after suffering through Rick Ankiel syndrome last season as he pounded the strike zone as he struck out nine in three innings and only walked two as he overpowered the Angels.  

 

Now that spring training is complete the Milleteers  will go into the season with a ton of questions still to answer as they look to fill the holes left by the absence of the Doyle brothers.  The pitching so far has been good, especially considering the great unexpected performances tonight, and there is more help on the way as long time Millet stalwart Josh Johnson and big power pitching Chad Soucy have decided to postpone retirement and suit up for their home town team.  The hitting has yet to get on track and capitalize on some early season wildness.  Time will tell how it will sort itself out, but it should be another exciting year for the Milleteers.