The Becker Bandits played two recent games, losing to Monticello and Foley.

 

Monticello 14, Becker 3

Matt Conzemius started on the mound for the Bandits last Wednesday for the first time this year. He struggled as all of the Pole Cats hits in the first inning were bloopers that evaded the gloves of the Bandit defensemen. Conzemius only mustered 2/3 an inning while giving up six runs on six hits. 

 

Jon Crowley came in on relief and pitched an inning and a third, giving up four runs on two hits while the defense committed two errors behind him. 

 

After the second inning, Tanner Niedenfeuhr came in on relief for the rest of the way, going four innings, giving up four runs on two hits while walking eight. 

 

“His stat line really doesn't show the way he pitched,” said Manager Cole Hanson of Conzemius. “For his first outing of the year I thought he did pretty well. I was happy with his effort on the mound.”

 

Becker finished the game with three runs on four hits with five walks and struck out 12 times. Monticello had 14 runs on 10 hits while walking eight times and striking out four times.

Johnny Mann was the leading hitter for Becker, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Connor Rolf was 1-for-3 with a walk, Crowley reached base on two walks, Conzemius was 1-for-3 with a single, Hanson  recorded one walk and Niedenfeuhr reached base twice on a walk and a HBP.

 

“"The first two innings really hurt us in this game,” said Hanson. “If we don't include those two innings, we’re easily in a close ball game. Goes to show how if you put yourself in a deep hole it’s tough to get out of.”

 

Sunday, the Bandits traveled to Foley to take on the Lumberjacks in a Sauk Valley League matchup.

 

Crowley started on the mound and he was cruising until the fourth inning when Foley scored two runs, then garnered two more hits to put runners on with Cameron Jurek heading to the plate. Jurek smashed a three-run home run off Crowley to give the Lumberjacks a comfortable, 5-0 lead. 

 

The Bandits scored both of their runs in the sixth inning when Mann and Austin Rasmussen got back-to-back hits to start the inning. Mann advanced to third on a past ball. Matt Krenz came up and hit a RBI ground out to score Mann for the team’s first run, with Rasmussen advancing to third. Connor Rolf then came up and hit an RBI ground out to score Rasmussen. 

 

Crowley pitched five innings while giving up five runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out two. Rasmussen came on  in relief of Crowley and struggled to throw strikes consistently, allowing the Lumberjacks to add four more runs in the sixth. Rasmussen went 1-2/3 innings, giving up seven runs on six hits while walking four.

 

“This game was a game we were in until the fifth inning,” said Hanson. “It's just that one really bad inning that hurt us. Those are killers and cannot afford for those to happen to be able to win a ball game.”

 

The Bandits finished with two runs on five hits while striking out 11 times. Foley got 12 runs on 14 hits, five walks while striking out just three times.

 

Rolf was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Rasmussen, Hayden Fassler and Ryan Sommerdorf were all 1-for-3. Johnny Mann was 1-for-2 and Matt Krenz was 0-for-2 with an RBI.

 

The Bandits were in action Friday as they traveled to Anoka to take on the Bucs in a non-conference matchup at Castle Field.  A full report on the game will happen in next week’s Citizen-Tribune.

 

The Bandits return home Wednesday to take the Albertville Villains in a Sauk Valley League matchup at 6 p.m. on the varsity field.