With two close games over the weekend, the VLB pennant race is heating up.
Veto took on McCafferty for the second half of the series being dubbed ‘Rivalry Revisited’. Veto fell 28-20 to McCafferty and the series evened at one apiece.
Engstrom picked up a much needed win again Heckenkamp on Sunday, 17-12. The win allowed Engstrom to pull into a tie with Heckenkamp for first place in the VLB.
Saturday’s game feature three 2003 debuts, while two of them were members making triumphant returns. After nearly two full years without suiting up for a VLB game, Jeff Kilgard and Josh Lawhorn took Saukie Field with high hopes.
“I have a record to defend,” Lawhorn said before the game. “It’s not too often someone strikes out six times in a game. Oh, but I hit six home-runs once too.”
Lawhorn at first appeared as if he would have a better shot at defending his strikeout record when he swung and missed at three pitches in his first at bat.
Lawhorn then proved he was up to the challenge.
Smacking a two-run homer and a grand slam over the left field wall, Lawhorn appeared to be back on track. He finished 6 for 10 on the day with 7 RBI.
Lawhorn was also the basis for controversy in the seventh inning. With two down and two in, Steve Roberts popped a ball on the infield over second base. With right field out, Lawhorn was playing first base and made a running effort on the ball. It hit his glove and bounded away. Roberts took first base saying that he went for it so it was playable. It would lead to an 8 run rally with two outs. Ten total came around in the inning for McCafferty.
Kilgard made his return on McCafferty’s side of the field. He went 5 for 10 and knocked in three for the victorious McCafferty who now sits within striking distance of first place. Lance McCafferty helped himself by hitting a pair of long shots en route to an 8 run victory.
Brett Carlson and Roberts also had big days for the third place McCafferty going 9 for 10 and 5 for 8 with a home-run respectively. Mitch Heckenkamp provided the biggest effort as he picked up 9 RBI on 5 hits, three of them doubles.
For Veto, Kevin Powell had a solid first game knocking over two home-runs.
On Sunday, Kiel Engstrom, not Ashley for once, would be the difference in the ball game. Engstrom helped himself going 7 for 8 with a grand slam and 9 RBI. Jacob VandeMoortel can be credited with setting up most of those runs, as he was 7 for 7 on the day with a double and a triple.
“I told [VandeMoortel] that after he got his double he was allowed to swing for the fence to get his home-run for the cycle,” Engstrom said. VandeMoortel tripled for the third time in his career. His first came at the age of 9 while playing for Rudy’s Tacos and wearing sweatpants.
It was a low scoring affair for the first 6 innings of the ball game. The score stood 5-5 at the outset of the seventh inning. It would remain tied into the eighth at 9 apiece until a six run inning provided Engstrom with the final blow.
Engstrom and Veto are slated to battle next on Wednesday, July 2, the first VLB weekday appearance this season.
Veto took on McCafferty for the second half of the series being dubbed ‘Rivalry Revisited’. Veto fell 28-20 to McCafferty and the series evened at one apiece.
Engstrom picked up a much needed win again Heckenkamp on Sunday, 17-12. The win allowed Engstrom to pull into a tie with Heckenkamp for first place in the VLB.
Saturday’s game feature three 2003 debuts, while two of them were members making triumphant returns. After nearly two full years without suiting up for a VLB game, Jeff Kilgard and Josh Lawhorn took Saukie Field with high hopes.
“I have a record to defend,” Lawhorn said before the game. “It’s not too often someone strikes out six times in a game. Oh, but I hit six home-runs once too.”
Lawhorn at first appeared as if he would have a better shot at defending his strikeout record when he swung and missed at three pitches in his first at bat.
Lawhorn then proved he was up to the challenge.
Smacking a two-run homer and a grand slam over the left field wall, Lawhorn appeared to be back on track. He finished 6 for 10 on the day with 7 RBI.
Lawhorn was also the basis for controversy in the seventh inning. With two down and two in, Steve Roberts popped a ball on the infield over second base. With right field out, Lawhorn was playing first base and made a running effort on the ball. It hit his glove and bounded away. Roberts took first base saying that he went for it so it was playable. It would lead to an 8 run rally with two outs. Ten total came around in the inning for McCafferty.
Kilgard made his return on McCafferty’s side of the field. He went 5 for 10 and knocked in three for the victorious McCafferty who now sits within striking distance of first place. Lance McCafferty helped himself by hitting a pair of long shots en route to an 8 run victory.
Brett Carlson and Roberts also had big days for the third place McCafferty going 9 for 10 and 5 for 8 with a home-run respectively. Mitch Heckenkamp provided the biggest effort as he picked up 9 RBI on 5 hits, three of them doubles.
For Veto, Kevin Powell had a solid first game knocking over two home-runs.
On Sunday, Kiel Engstrom, not Ashley for once, would be the difference in the ball game. Engstrom helped himself going 7 for 8 with a grand slam and 9 RBI. Jacob VandeMoortel can be credited with setting up most of those runs, as he was 7 for 7 on the day with a double and a triple.
“I told [VandeMoortel] that after he got his double he was allowed to swing for the fence to get his home-run for the cycle,” Engstrom said. VandeMoortel tripled for the third time in his career. His first came at the age of 9 while playing for Rudy’s Tacos and wearing sweatpants.
It was a low scoring affair for the first 6 innings of the ball game. The score stood 5-5 at the outset of the seventh inning. It would remain tied into the eighth at 9 apiece until a six run inning provided Engstrom with the final blow.
Engstrom and Veto are slated to battle next on Wednesday, July 2, the first VLB weekday appearance this season.