Friday, March 29th, 2024 Church Directory

Buzzards go 1-1 in one run games

It was the afternoon of the one run games last Sunday, as the Becker Buzzards amateur 35+ baseball team traveled to Urbank for a doubleheader.  

In the opener, the locals knocked off the host Goldttimers 9-8 in extra innings, while they dropped the second game 5-4 to the Menahga Relics.

Game one was scoreless until the bottom of second inning when the Goldtimers used a couple walks and a single to take a 1-0 lead.  The Buzzards answered with two runs in the top of the fourth when Matt Koester and Kyle Sytsma reached on singles, eventually scoring on an error and a wild pitch, to give the Buzzards a 2-1 lead.  

The Goldtimers jumped right back in front in the bottom of the inning with two runs on two walks and two singles.  The top of the fifth saw the Buzzards retake the lead when Manager Jason Baune led off with a walk, Jason Pfingsten singled, and Todd Klaers hit a three-run homer to make the score 5-3 Buzzards.  

Three more Buzzard runs in the top of the sixth extended the lead to 8-3, as Deron Trovall led off the inning with a walk, followed by a Jason Wald single and a Pfingsten double to score Trovall and Wald.  Klaers then singled to drive him in for the third run.  

The Goldtimers wouldn’t go away, however, as they loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning with nobody out.  Todd Klaers would enter the game in relief of starter Dave Kreft and allowed two inherited runners to score, but get Becker out of the jam with an 8-5 lead.  After a scoreless top of the seventh, the Goldtimers again loaded the bases in their half of the inning with nobody out.  After a strikeout for the first out, a double down the left field line would plate two runners and make it 8-7.  An error would allow another run to score and tie the game.  

The Goldtimers tried to get the winning run on a wild pitch, but some hustle from catcher Wald and pitcher Klaers led to the runner being retired at the plate.  

In extra innings, Pfingsten drew a one-out walk and proceeded to steal second before coming in to score on an rbi single off the bat of Klaers.  Klaers would have a quick bottom of the 8th as he retired all three batters on a couple groundouts and a popped up bunt to secure the win.

Kreft went 5+ innings and allowed five runs, while Klaers picked up the win with three innings in relief.  Klaers led the offensive attack with three hits, while Wald, Pfingsten, Koester, and Sytsma each added two hits.

In the game two match up with Menahga, the Relics jumped out to a big lead with four runs in the bottom of the first on an error, three hits, and a walk.  They added another run in the bottom of the third on a walk, double and single, before Koester prevented more damage by throwing a runner out at the plate to stop the bleeding.  

The Buzzards were unable to muster much offense and the game remained 5-0 heading into the top of the seventh when the Buzzards made the game interesting.  Klaers led off the seventh with a single, while Koester and Sytsma were retired on a sharp line drive and a deep fly ball, respectively.

That’s when the Buzzards would mount a two out comeback attempt with Kreft and Brian Kolbinger each singling to load the bases.  Ryan Williams then unloaded the bases with a grand slam that made the score 5-4.  Unfortunately for Becker, the rally would come up just short and the Buzzards would suffer their first league loss since last summer.

Brian Kolbinger got the start and went four innings allowing five runs.  Pfingsten and Williams each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.  Leading hitters were Wald (2-for-3) and Williams (2-for-3 with the grand slam).

The Buzzards are now 4-1 in Northwest League play and 4-3 overall.  This week will bring the team’s final home games of the season as they will host the Luxemburg Brewmeisters on Friday night at 6:30 p.m., and then host the K-Town Outlaws for a doubleheader on Sunday at 2 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Becker Athletic Complex.