The Becker Buzzards traveled to Alexandria for a two game set against the Classic Clippers at Knute Nelson Memorial Field in Central Minnesota League action last Saturday.

 

Alexandria was leading 2-0 in the first game until the fourth inning. Deron Trovall was hit by a pitch to reach first base and moved to second base on a passed ball. Steve Newman ripped a double and Rich Petty singled to score Trovall. Jim Schmitz followed up with a double to score Newman and Petty to take a 3-2 lead.

 

The Classic Clippers tied it up 3-3 in their half of the fourth inning but the Buzzards put up another crooked number in the top of fifth inning, when Josh May drew a walk and stole second base to get things rolling. 

 

The game got tense with two outs when Alexandria's pitcher Mike Forester beaned Trovall for a second time with a fastball. Words were exchanged but cooler heads prevailed and Trovall took his spot on first base.

 

 Steve Newman walked to load the bases and Rich Petty singled to score May and Trovall. Newman and Petty scored on a Craig Hern double. Hern scored on a hard hit ball by Jim Schmitz and an error by the Clipper shortstop making it 8-3. 

 

Alexandria rallied in the bottom of the seventh by scoring three runs and had the tying run on first base. Craig Hern relieved starting pitcher Brian Kolbinger to record the final two outs and get the save. 

 

Petty went 4-for-4 and Kolbinger picked up the win for the Buzzards.

 

The second game got out of hand right away in the first inning with lead-off singles by Newman and Petty — combined with a double by Schmitz — gave the visiting Buzzards a 2-0 lead. 

 

Becker added six more runs in the second inning as Josh May walked, followed by consecutive singles by Kolbinger, Amos Blomquist, Tanner Bakke and Newman. Kolbinger scored on Petty's sacrifice fly. Hern cleared the bases with a triple and scored the final run of the inning on a double by May. 

 

After a quiet third inning, the bats came alive again in the fourth, when Newman walked and Petty singled. May singled to score Newman while Matt O'Neill reached on an error, scoring Petty. Josh May reached on an error to load the bases. Trovall singled to score Doug May. 

 

In the fifth, with one out, Newman and Petty hit back-to-back doubles, followed by a single by Hern and a Schmitz sacrifice fly.

 

The pitching and defense was stellar as the game only went five innings with the Buzzards prevailing, 13-0.

 

Tanner Bakke pitched a complete game and was rewarded with his first win of the season. Petty went 3-for-3. 

 

“We needed to win these two games to assure us a positive seeding for the state tournament”, said Interim Manager, Matt O’Neill.  “We had 27 combined hits and only one error. I was the only one without a hit today,” he chuckled. 

 

The Buzzards finish the regular season next weekend in the three-team Central Minnesota League round robin tournament in Cold Spring. They play Alexandria at 1 p.m. and the Cold Spring Silver Springers at 3 p.m. Cold Spring will play Alexandria to finish off the tournament at 5 p.m.