Milleteers Walk Off Rebels

Tonight both teams finally got back on the field as inclement weather has kept both squads idle for over two weeks.  With the regular season winding down this one was an important one for both teams as the Rebels perilously clung to the final playoff spot, while the Milleteers were looking for a win to regain top spot in the standings.

 

Ryley got off to a good start in the first as the leadoff hitter got on with a walk.  After a couple of strikeouts clean up hitter Craig Koughan blooped a single to right that looked like it would score the runner, but a great throw from right fielder Kirk Smith cut the runner down at the plate on a close call to end the inning.  The missed opportunity was a harbinger for things to come for the Rebel offense as they would leave runners in scoring position in every inning except the seventh.

 

The Milleteers answered back in their half of the first as they got their leadoff hitter on after an error, but he was quickly erased on a nice 6-4-3 double play on the next pitch.  Then a walk and a hit from the Pahl brothers would put two more on, but a soft line out to the short stop would end the threat.

 

After that starter Craig Koughan would put it on cruise control for the next few innings, waiting for his offense to finally cash in some runners.  The Rebel offense finally broke through in the fifth as reliever Ryan Walker came into the game after starter Chad Soucy somehow managed to wriggle out of jams every inning to keep the game scoreless.  Walker would walk shortstop Dylan Solberg, who would then advance to second on a swinging bunt.  After a strikeout would get the Milleteers their second out Walker got a ground ball up the middle that second baseman Shawn Brinkworth got to, but bobbled, leaving no play at first.  Solberg took a big turn around third so Brinkworth threw behind him to pick him off, but the old vet’s arm isn’t what it used to be and Solberg turned and went home scoring the first run of the game little league style.

 

The Milleteers would answer back in their half of the inning as they finally got to Koughan.  Brinkworth would atone for his miscue earlier as he ripped a leadoff single.  Then with one out catcher Shane Gerein would bloop one behind third setting up a first and third.  Jon Anstey would then step up and rip a double to plate one and put the go ahead run at third.  With the infield drawn in Koughan got a grounder to second and the runner was cut down at the plate on a bang bang play.  Steven Pahl would then step to the dish and he hit a hard grounder to second that should have ended the inning, but the ball took a nasty hop on the bad Leduc infield as they city was too busy cleaning up after the Glass Tiger concert the night before to give the diamonds any attention.  The error would put the Milleteers ahead by one.

 

The Rebels would answer back in the sixth as they got another bizarre run.  Nine hole hitter Donny Oslund got on after striking out, but the ball went to the backstop on the third strike.  Then after a two out hit would put runners at first and second the catcher Shane Gerein tried to pick the runner off at first, but with fielder, runner, and ball all arriving at the same time the ball somehow managed not to hit anything and ended up in right field.  Oslund then got on his old horse and hustled around the bases and just slid in ahead of the throw at the plate to tie it up.

 

Oslund then came in to relieve Koughan, but after a clean sixth, the Milleteers got a leadoff walk and a stolen  base to put the tieing run at second.  Then a past ball moved the runner to third with the Milleteers hottest hitter Trevor Pahl up.  Pahl looked like he had worked a walk, but the umpire gave Oslund a questionable low and outside strike to get the count full.  The cagey vet then throw an off speed pitch in the exact same spot, but Pahl went down to a knee to rip a line drive single to center to walk it off for the Milleteers.

 

The win, combined with a Holden loss puts the Milleteers back on top of the standings, while the Rebels still hold on to fourth after Bardo blew a lead late against Armena.  Next up for the Milleteers will be a tournament on the weekend as they head to Goodfish.