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Posted Aug 14/11 - Outlaws vs Barnstormers

Barnstormers introduce Outlaws to over 35....Click to read the game wrap.

Barnstormers 6 Outlaws 0

Sunday August 14th marked the beginning of a new Outlaws over 35 baseball team in southern Minnesota. Some could say the team was a result of a long cold winter and old friends missing the smell of freshly mowed grass and the sound of a ball cracking off a wood bat. Most of all it was the thought of once again joining those friends and together enjoying a game they all grew up loving. Coming into Sunday the Outlaws roster was filled with just that, friends who grew up playing baseball together. It was immediately clear that new friendships would emerge from this team made up of a mix of Worthington and Welcome area players. Sunday did not present an easy task for the Outlaws as they traveled to Windom Minnesota to scrimmage the Southwest Barnstormers. The Barnstormers are one summer removed from an appearance in the State Championship game where they suffered a heart breaking 1-0 loss. They asked the Outlaws for a tune up game before heading back up to state for some payback. The Outlaws entered the game with 90% of their roster coming off of several years away from the game, but with high hopes for next summer.

Cory Van Briesen got the nod for the visiting Outlaws and bravely took the mound against the Barnstormers mix of All-Stars. Cory gave the boys in white and black the start they needed throwing a clean first inning after the Outlaws were put down in order. In the top of the second Ryan Meyer recorded the first hit in Outlaws history with a grounder that found a hole on the left side. He was quickly stranded by crafty veteran Barnstormer's pitcher Robert Peterson, who clearly hasn't lost anything on the hill. Van Briesen would keep the Outlaws in the game for the next two innings giving up only one hit and one run.

Chris "Nellie" Nelson started the top of the 4th with a beautiful drag bunt single. (He advised everyone in the dugout he was going to bunt so he was happy it was successful.) The Outlaws would eventually load the bases with one out, but Peterson recorded back to back strikeouts to escape the jam. Jeff Appel took over for V.B. in the 4th as the Barnstromers struck again with an unearned run to extend the lead to 2-0. Cory Van Briesen provided a highlight reel defensive play in the 5th inning from the shortstop position making a diving stop (snapping his neck) and recording an important out. (He would later snap his neck back into place falling down catching a pop up.) With the stellar defensive play behind him Appel pitched scoreless frames in the 5th and 6th innings.

The 5th, 6th and 7th innings would see Outlaws hits from Nellie, Jeff Appel and Mike Roth, but Peterson continued his dominance and kept the score at 2-0 heading into the 7th. Robb Larson relieved Appel who finished the day giving up 3 hits and striking out 1. The Barnstormers extended the lead in the home half of the 7th, taking advantage of a few free passes and an error to score 4 more unearned runs. Robb gave up two hits in the frame but prevented further trouble by pitching out of the jam and stranding two additional Barnstormer runners.

Travis "Shooter" Schuett, and Jeff Appel added Outlaw's hits with singles in the 8th inning but were unable to cross the plate. Jeff Miller was coaxed out of retirement to join the Outlaws and pitched a scoreless 8th inning, striking out 2 Barnstormer hitters.

Mike Roth worked his second walk of the day in the 9th but the next two Outlaw hitters were set down in order as the Barnstormers secured the 6-0 victory. Although the Outlaws played from behind the whole game, it was impossible to miss the big smiles on all their faces. Everyone knew there would be rust, but Sundays game was an awesome glimpse of what is yet to come in 2012.

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