The Becker Buzzards mens baseball team has players dropping like flies. The results is two more losses and the squad is desperately seeking reinforcements.

 

Though losing a pair of games is a undesirable, the more immediate concern is the rash of injuries that is hitting the team.  

 

“I guess in all my years of coaching I have never seen anything quite like it,” says Manager Mark Kolbinger.  “There's eight guys on our roster who currently can't play due to injuries so we're definitely scrambling to find some healthy bodies.”

 

Kolbinger is guessing that with the growth in the community, there has to be a few good men out there who have thought about giving baseball another shot.

 

“The bottom line is, we need some new bodies to help us get through the season,” says Kolbinger.  “Sure we'd love to have some guys who can throw in the eighties, but really at this point if they have spikes and a glove we'll give them a shot.”

 

The team is considering petitioning the league for some roster exemptions just to be able to field a competitive team while people heal from their maladie

 

In game one Sunday at Fort Ripley, the Silver Rebels pulled out a three-run win.  

 

Becker jumped up early with four runs in the top of the second inning, but could not hold the lead, giving up four runs in the fourth inning, two in the fifth and one in the sixth.

 

Steve Newman led the  Becker offense with a pair of hits and the Buzzards showed great patience at the plate drawing six walks.  They stranded six runners in scoring position and had the bases loaded twice without scoring.  Playing shorthanded, they had “gimpy” players in several positions.

 

“That's what happens when you only have nine bodies to start a game,” said Kolbinger  “Guys are forced to suck it up and play through the injuries.”

 

Newman also pitched the entire game for Becker, going six innings and giving up just six hits.  Kolbinger sang his praises after the game.

 

“Newmie hasn't drew a start on the mound for over two decades, but he came through and put a lot of balls in the strike zone,” said Kolbinger.  “He's a great all around player who could line up at any of the nine positions on the field.”

 

Game two ended in extra innings with a one-run loss as an errant pick-off throw in the bottom of the eighth sent home the winning run.

 

“It was a classic pitcher's duel, with Brian Kolbinger going all eight innings for us and throwing the ball extremely well,” said Kolbinger.  “When Brian's on the mound, we just throw the pitch count out the window because his curve just gets better and better as the innings go on.”

 

The right-hander scattered eight hits in the game, giving up single runs in the second and fourth innings.  He also had a pair of hits in the game, while Newman collected three.  

 

Fort Ripley had two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh before the Buzzards issued an intentional walk to load the bases.  Kolbinger then came up with a huge strikeout and a nice force play at third from Newman to Mark Kolbinger that stopped the threat.

 

In the bottom of the eighth, Fort Ripley again had two runners on base so Becker again issued the walk to load them up.  That's when Brian Kolbinger's pickoff attempt to  third base flew just a tad high and barely over the top of his leaping cousin Mark's glove.

 

“It was a tough way to lose a game, but again with the injuries we had and the number of guys playing at much less than one-hundred percent I can't fault the effort.”

 

The Buzzards next travel to Cold Spring July 10 for a re-match with the defending state champions.

 

Kolbinger hopes there's a few extra bodies in tow. He suffered a tear to his calf this past weekend and is currently in a boot cast — waiting to be re-checked in a couple weeks.