With baseball's apparent growth in popularity in Rock Island, Saukie Field, the shared home of Veto League Baseball, has been buzzing with Rock Island Red Sox action. The VLB has been forced to find new venues, as Black Hawk field is just as busy.
The old Moline Legion Diamond has become a third popular spot for the VLB, but recently succumbed to Mother Nature as Mississippi flooding has buried the ball park.
Still, action has begun for the 2004 VLB season. This year, six captains have stepped forward to head up the teams which have been split into two divisions. Veteran coaches Lance McCafferty, Kiel Engstrom, and Matt Veto make up the Saukie Division with the King Cobras, Vandals, and Meteors. Last year's World Series Champion Casey Thomas sits atop the Black Hawk Division heading up the Heartbreakers out of Thomasville. The rebirth of the River Bandits in the Quad Cities comes thanks to the coaching of Scott Ellefritz. Finally, the Latino Heat and coach Colby Moore round of the teams who will see action this season.
Opening day featured the classic match-up of Veto's Meteors and McCafferty's King Cobras. With a crew of 24 players, this year's opening day at Saukie was tied for the biggest game in VLB history.
It would be a Meteor victory, 13-9, as Casey Thomas helped jump them out to an early two run lead with the first VLB homer of the season. The Cobras would rebound, tying the game at 6, where it would remain until the bottom of the sixth inning. The meteors brought 4 more around, and added 3 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kiel Engstrom had 3 hits and 4 RBI in the win.
Saukie would be open again on Sunday for a divisional match-up between the River Bandits and the Latino Heat. Rookie Alvin Carbajal exploded for the Bandits with a pair of home-runs, one of them a grand slam. His only two hits in the game plated 6 runs, which would have been enough as the Bandits trounced the Heat 17-5. Coach Ellefritz helped himself with a home-run and Coach Moore tried to the same. Moore was 4 for 5 in the game, but the rest of his team struggled for offense.
Mosquito heaven, also known as the former Moline Legion Diamond hosted the next three ball games for the VLB. Thomas' Heartbreakers knocked of the Vandals after plating two runs in the bottom of the 8th breaking a 12-12 tie. It would be enough as the Heartbreakers found a spot at the top of the division with the Bandits in a 14-12 win.
A rain out on May 22 led to a Sunday double header the following day. McCafferty's King Cobras picked up their first win with a 10-9 victory over the River Bandits. The Bandits would rebound in game two handing the Vandals their second loss of the season.
On Tuesday, May 25, the Heartbreakers were set to show down with the Latino Heat, whose coach is ailing with a reported sprained ankle. However, the lack of a field postponed the 4:30 game to a later date.
The old Moline Legion Diamond has become a third popular spot for the VLB, but recently succumbed to Mother Nature as Mississippi flooding has buried the ball park.
Still, action has begun for the 2004 VLB season. This year, six captains have stepped forward to head up the teams which have been split into two divisions. Veteran coaches Lance McCafferty, Kiel Engstrom, and Matt Veto make up the Saukie Division with the King Cobras, Vandals, and Meteors. Last year's World Series Champion Casey Thomas sits atop the Black Hawk Division heading up the Heartbreakers out of Thomasville. The rebirth of the River Bandits in the Quad Cities comes thanks to the coaching of Scott Ellefritz. Finally, the Latino Heat and coach Colby Moore round of the teams who will see action this season.
Opening day featured the classic match-up of Veto's Meteors and McCafferty's King Cobras. With a crew of 24 players, this year's opening day at Saukie was tied for the biggest game in VLB history.
It would be a Meteor victory, 13-9, as Casey Thomas helped jump them out to an early two run lead with the first VLB homer of the season. The Cobras would rebound, tying the game at 6, where it would remain until the bottom of the sixth inning. The meteors brought 4 more around, and added 3 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Kiel Engstrom had 3 hits and 4 RBI in the win.
Saukie would be open again on Sunday for a divisional match-up between the River Bandits and the Latino Heat. Rookie Alvin Carbajal exploded for the Bandits with a pair of home-runs, one of them a grand slam. His only two hits in the game plated 6 runs, which would have been enough as the Bandits trounced the Heat 17-5. Coach Ellefritz helped himself with a home-run and Coach Moore tried to the same. Moore was 4 for 5 in the game, but the rest of his team struggled for offense.
Mosquito heaven, also known as the former Moline Legion Diamond hosted the next three ball games for the VLB. Thomas' Heartbreakers knocked of the Vandals after plating two runs in the bottom of the 8th breaking a 12-12 tie. It would be enough as the Heartbreakers found a spot at the top of the division with the Bandits in a 14-12 win.
A rain out on May 22 led to a Sunday double header the following day. McCafferty's King Cobras picked up their first win with a 10-9 victory over the River Bandits. The Bandits would rebound in game two handing the Vandals their second loss of the season.
On Tuesday, May 25, the Heartbreakers were set to show down with the Latino Heat, whose coach is ailing with a reported sprained ankle. However, the lack of a field postponed the 4:30 game to a later date.