Heads turned skyward as jet engines roared and Angels streaked above the tree tops.
Another Quad City Air Show weekend caused both interest and concern as a few chose the hum of a P-57 over the groan of Scott Ellefritz. Numbers were down for Saturday's match up, but play continued and the SNK Crushers met a sad fate pummeled 21-4 in a shortened game.
On Sunday, Veto Leaguers turned out in decent numbers to Veterans Park to play two. Matt Veto's Meteors (4-1) split, falling 6-3 to Ellefritz and the River Bandits (3-1) before topping the Brett Carlson-captained Baseball Furies 21-7 in game two.
June 3: Vandals 21, SNK Crushers 4 (8)
Josh Smith knocked out 8 hits and drove in 10 RBI to lead the Vandals (2-2) to a 21-4 victory over the struggling SNK Crushers (0-4).
Smith, also subbing as captain for Kiel Engstrom, was a few steps away from hitting for the cycle, thrown out at the plate after clearing the bases and attempting the inside-the-park homer.
Dave Anderson, back from his new job in Chicagoland, scored 6 runs for the victorious Vandals reaching base safely on six hits.
Also of note, Brett Carlson made a valiant reappearance to the ball diamond. Smith spotted Carlson running laps before the game and it appears Carlson's attitude has changed.
"If my team loses today, it won't be because of my lack of effort," Carlson said.
At first base, Carlson snagged a looper just to the right of the mound, sliding to his knees to make the play. He had only one hit, but it was a ringing double that plated two runs. He also had a sacrifice fly.
Hits were hard to come by for Kilgard's crew. Only four of the six batters had hits. Matt Veto, John Kelley, and Kilgard each had three hits and a combined two RBI. Newcomer Nick Crow had an RBI double.
June 4: River Bandits 6, Meteors 3 (8)
Meteors 21, Baseball Furies 7
By the sixth inning, Veto was beginning to wonder if history would be made at the expense of his Meteors.
Trailing 3-0 to the River Bandits after 5 1/2 innings, the Meteors dug deep to avoid the shutout. They nearly came away with the win.
Dave Anderson, Andy Moeller, and Ellefritz each scored runs in the first inning to lift the Bandits to a 3-0 first-inning lead.
Crippled with a massive finger-nail injury, Anderson was carted off the field on the back of Craig Fyfe's lawn mower to be tended to by medical professionals. He is listed as unlikely for Wednesday's game.
With Anderson out of the lineup, the Bandits we left a man short. Meeting in front of the bench, Veto and Ellefritz discussed their options. It was decided that Amos Whiting would be released from the Meteors. Whiting remained in his "happy-spot" under the toilet-tree in foul territory, dismayed at the happenings.
"Hey, if they want to get rid of me, that's fine," Whiting said. "I can throw with both hands."
As play continued at even strength, the Meteors grew restless. In the bottom of the sixth, Scott Higdon led off with a single followed by a Veto base hit. Josh Francque grounded into a fielder's choice putting runners on the corners. Kiel Engstrom grounded into a fielder's choice to score Higdon. With two outs, Ryan Barton singled. John Kelley followed with an RBI base hit and Brad Ryan did the same to tie the game.
The Bandits went 1-2-3 in the seventh and the Meteors left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning.
In the first extra inning of the VLB season, Ellefritz's squad loaded the bases with no outs and scored three times to pick up the win. Moeller was 5-for-6 with two RBI for the River Bandits.
Game two was much in favor of the Meteors. Scoring 21 times, Veto's crew downed the Zerull-less Baseball Furies with ease. Huge five hit days came from Josh Smith, Brad Ryan and Chris Polton. The men combined for 10 runs and 12 RBI.
Polton had the big day doubling four times--one shy of the single-game record. He had 8 RBI.
Another Quad City Air Show weekend caused both interest and concern as a few chose the hum of a P-57 over the groan of Scott Ellefritz. Numbers were down for Saturday's match up, but play continued and the SNK Crushers met a sad fate pummeled 21-4 in a shortened game.
On Sunday, Veto Leaguers turned out in decent numbers to Veterans Park to play two. Matt Veto's Meteors (4-1) split, falling 6-3 to Ellefritz and the River Bandits (3-1) before topping the Brett Carlson-captained Baseball Furies 21-7 in game two.
June 3: Vandals 21, SNK Crushers 4 (8)
Josh Smith knocked out 8 hits and drove in 10 RBI to lead the Vandals (2-2) to a 21-4 victory over the struggling SNK Crushers (0-4).
Smith, also subbing as captain for Kiel Engstrom, was a few steps away from hitting for the cycle, thrown out at the plate after clearing the bases and attempting the inside-the-park homer.
Dave Anderson, back from his new job in Chicagoland, scored 6 runs for the victorious Vandals reaching base safely on six hits.
Also of note, Brett Carlson made a valiant reappearance to the ball diamond. Smith spotted Carlson running laps before the game and it appears Carlson's attitude has changed.
"If my team loses today, it won't be because of my lack of effort," Carlson said.
At first base, Carlson snagged a looper just to the right of the mound, sliding to his knees to make the play. He had only one hit, but it was a ringing double that plated two runs. He also had a sacrifice fly.
Hits were hard to come by for Kilgard's crew. Only four of the six batters had hits. Matt Veto, John Kelley, and Kilgard each had three hits and a combined two RBI. Newcomer Nick Crow had an RBI double.
June 4: River Bandits 6, Meteors 3 (8)
Meteors 21, Baseball Furies 7
By the sixth inning, Veto was beginning to wonder if history would be made at the expense of his Meteors.
Trailing 3-0 to the River Bandits after 5 1/2 innings, the Meteors dug deep to avoid the shutout. They nearly came away with the win.
Dave Anderson, Andy Moeller, and Ellefritz each scored runs in the first inning to lift the Bandits to a 3-0 first-inning lead.
Crippled with a massive finger-nail injury, Anderson was carted off the field on the back of Craig Fyfe's lawn mower to be tended to by medical professionals. He is listed as unlikely for Wednesday's game.
With Anderson out of the lineup, the Bandits we left a man short. Meeting in front of the bench, Veto and Ellefritz discussed their options. It was decided that Amos Whiting would be released from the Meteors. Whiting remained in his "happy-spot" under the toilet-tree in foul territory, dismayed at the happenings.
"Hey, if they want to get rid of me, that's fine," Whiting said. "I can throw with both hands."
As play continued at even strength, the Meteors grew restless. In the bottom of the sixth, Scott Higdon led off with a single followed by a Veto base hit. Josh Francque grounded into a fielder's choice putting runners on the corners. Kiel Engstrom grounded into a fielder's choice to score Higdon. With two outs, Ryan Barton singled. John Kelley followed with an RBI base hit and Brad Ryan did the same to tie the game.
The Bandits went 1-2-3 in the seventh and the Meteors left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning.
In the first extra inning of the VLB season, Ellefritz's squad loaded the bases with no outs and scored three times to pick up the win. Moeller was 5-for-6 with two RBI for the River Bandits.
Game two was much in favor of the Meteors. Scoring 21 times, Veto's crew downed the Zerull-less Baseball Furies with ease. Huge five hit days came from Josh Smith, Brad Ryan and Chris Polton. The men combined for 10 runs and 12 RBI.
Polton had the big day doubling four times--one shy of the single-game record. He had 8 RBI.