The Becker Bandits fell to the Sartell Stone Poney's last Sunday at home by a score of 17-7 in seven innings. 

 

This contest was a game that was pitched by committee. Austin Rasmussen got his first career start on the mound and went 2-1/3 innings, striking out two, giving up three walks, two hits, and six runs.

 

Matt Yoerg came on in relief and pitched 1-2/3 innings, striking out one, surrendering four walks, one hit and one run.

 

Hayden Fassler followed Yoerg to the mound for 1-1/3 innings, giving up three walks on two hits while giving up six runs.

 

Johnny Mann was next to toe the rubber and he went one inning, gave up three walks, one hit, while yielding four runs.

 

Cole Hanson succeeded Mann and pitched two-thirds of an inning and recorded one strikeout.

 

The pitcher of record was Fassler, who suffered the punishing loss.

 

The game looked promising for the home team when Connor Rolf got the Bandits first hit of the game in the first inning. However, the boys of summer were unable to plate him in the inning.

 

In the meantime, the Poney’s stampeded the plate by scoring half-a-dozen times to go up 6-0 after two.

 

 The Bandits finally got on the board in the third when Yoerg led off by getting hit-by-a-pitch. Kreeden Blomquist then ripped a single, followed by another HBP to Austin Rasmussen  to load the bases. Rolf stepped to the plate and proceeded to lift a sacrifice fly to right to score Yoerg with Blomquist advancing to third on the throw. Blomquist then scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 6-2. 

 

The following inning, Tanner Niedenfeuhr and Matthew Moe reached bases on back-to-back walks. Yoerg drove a single to the outfield to drive in Neidenfeuhr to bring the score to 6-3. Blomquist kept it going by looping a double down the line in right, scoring Moe and Yoerg to bring the tally to 6-5. 

 

Two batters later, Blomquist scored on a base hit by Rolf to tie the game.

 

Sartell pulled ahead in the top of the fifth with one run to re-capture the lead. 

 

In the bottom of the fifth and down by one run, Niedenfeuhr procured a walk, then went to second on a fielder's choice before stealing third. Blomquist dug in the batter’s box and rifled a single to tie the game at seven. 

 

Unfortunately for the Bandits, they gave up seven runs in the sixth and three in the seventh to fall by 10. 

 

Bandits tallied seven hits, three walks, while committing two errors.

 

The Stone Poney’s tallied seven hits, 12 walks, and recorded one error.

 

Rolf led the Bandits, going 2-for-4 with three RBI's. Blomquist was 3-for-4 with two RBI's. Yoerg had one hit in three at bats and one RBI. Ryan Sommerdorf and Moe each went 1-for-3 with a single.

 

“In this game, it really came down to the lack of pitchers available that cost us this game.” said Manager Hanson. “I was very happy with the plate discipline and how we swung the bat overall when the opportunities were given to us. We just have to keep putting the time in and it will all come together.”

 

The Bandit’s next game is  Sunday at 1:30 p.m. versus the Albertville Villains on the varsity field in a Sauk Valley League game.