Veto League Baseball presses on despite oppressive heat and low turnout. Only three games have been played since July 15.
As with past seasons, the last couple of weeks have been a struggle. Several games have been postponed due to low player attendance, and in one case, rain. Each this phenomenon rears its ugly head right at about the 30-game mark, which the season surpassed this past week.
It has been difficult for VLB members to explain why this tends to happen. Certain factors playing a role could be heat, weddings, and baseball burnout. (For much discussion on the state of the season, visit the VLB message board).
Still, many Veto Leaguers are determined to battle through the adversity to finish the season. The engine is slowing, but the VLB train hasn't stopped.
(7/29/06) Baseball Furies 9, Vandals 6 (5)
Saukie Field has again become the home of the VLB as Cicada Killers continue to stalk the Veterans Park grounds.
Menacing "no trespassing" signs now grace the Saukie Field fence line. The playing surface looks very little like it did when it once harbored the early days of the VLB. A single row of stadium seats line a new backstop bearing Rock Island Red Sox accomplishment signs. Foul poles, not made of PVC pipe oddly, have been placed down each line. The infield has been completely skinned to the dugout and the playing surface is much smoother.
Despite feeling rather unwelcome, the VLB has stormed Saukie once again, much to the delight of Brett Carlson.
"I won't lie. I'm kind of happy to be back at Saukie," Carlson said.
Most recently the Baseball Furies and Vandals battled in a heat-shortened five-inning contest at Saukie. With a 9-6 win, Bob Zerull's Furies now sit a win away from clinching the Black Hawk Division via the tie breaker. Only Jeff Kilgard's lowly SNK Crushers stand in the way.
"I don't care what happens," Zerull said. "I just want to play baseball."
This season's home-run race heated up at Zerull smacked two home-runs to take a brief lead before Ryan Barton tied him with a blast later in the game. Zerull had six RBI in the contest. Jeff Kilgard also hit his first home run of the year. Josh Traub had four hits and three runs scored in the Vandals loss.
Additionally, help is requested to raise money for baseballs. The league is now down to 18 as the Saukie woods swallow up more and more pearls.
(7/26/06) River Bandits 15, Meteors 14
After one year hiatus, the River Bandits (8-3) are making a push towards another appearance in the VLB World Series.
With a 15-14 nail-biting win over Matt Veto's Meteors, Scott Ellefritz's squad sealed up the Saukie Division and is on the heels of a five-game winning streak. The Meteors (6-6) have dropped four in a row.
The victory was not easily attained, however. What once was a comfortable 10-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning, diminished for the River Bandits. The Meteors challenged the Bandits with big Bob Zerull and his mighty bat.
The Meteors carved into the lead by scoring three in the seventh. With two outs, Zerull hit his second home run of the day in the eighth to pull the game to within a run, 10-9.
Continuing to bat around the order, the Meteors put runners on second and third. Veto hit an opposite field single to tie the game. A single by Rowdy Frederiksen gave the Meteors an 11-10 lead going into the ninth.
The Bandits bounced back plating five runs in the inning. Three Bandits had six hits in the contest including a 6-for-8 performance by Andy Moeller, which yielded 8 RBI and his first career VLB homer.
Trailing 15-11 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Meteors recorded two quick outs. They sparked another two-out rally. With two runs in (15-13), the Meteors had runners on the corners with Zerull coming up. Ellefritz chose to walk the bases loaded to face Eric Lindburg who delivered a single. The rally was not to be, however, as the Bandits secured the final out, the division, and home-field advantage in the playoffs against the Meteors.
Since the final Saukie match-up between the Bandits and the Eskimos (4-7) has no bearing on the division, it will not be played.
(7/22/06) Eskimos 11, Meteors 5 (7)
Jon Escajeda got to ride his cycle at Saukie Field hitting safely six times, and secured the first VLB cycle of the season.
Escajeda's Eskimos hurt the Meteors chances of winning the Saukie Division by downing Matt Veto's crew 11-5 in seven innings.
With only 10 players, right field was called out in the contest. Jon Escajeda and James Francescon each had six hits in the win.
The Meteors struggled to get the bats going as lazy pop flies led to the Meteors demise. The Eskimos win the season series over the Meteors 2-1.
As with past seasons, the last couple of weeks have been a struggle. Several games have been postponed due to low player attendance, and in one case, rain. Each this phenomenon rears its ugly head right at about the 30-game mark, which the season surpassed this past week.
It has been difficult for VLB members to explain why this tends to happen. Certain factors playing a role could be heat, weddings, and baseball burnout. (For much discussion on the state of the season, visit the VLB message board).
Still, many Veto Leaguers are determined to battle through the adversity to finish the season. The engine is slowing, but the VLB train hasn't stopped.
(7/29/06) Baseball Furies 9, Vandals 6 (5)
Saukie Field has again become the home of the VLB as Cicada Killers continue to stalk the Veterans Park grounds.
Menacing "no trespassing" signs now grace the Saukie Field fence line. The playing surface looks very little like it did when it once harbored the early days of the VLB. A single row of stadium seats line a new backstop bearing Rock Island Red Sox accomplishment signs. Foul poles, not made of PVC pipe oddly, have been placed down each line. The infield has been completely skinned to the dugout and the playing surface is much smoother.
Despite feeling rather unwelcome, the VLB has stormed Saukie once again, much to the delight of Brett Carlson.
"I won't lie. I'm kind of happy to be back at Saukie," Carlson said.
Most recently the Baseball Furies and Vandals battled in a heat-shortened five-inning contest at Saukie. With a 9-6 win, Bob Zerull's Furies now sit a win away from clinching the Black Hawk Division via the tie breaker. Only Jeff Kilgard's lowly SNK Crushers stand in the way.
"I don't care what happens," Zerull said. "I just want to play baseball."
This season's home-run race heated up at Zerull smacked two home-runs to take a brief lead before Ryan Barton tied him with a blast later in the game. Zerull had six RBI in the contest. Jeff Kilgard also hit his first home run of the year. Josh Traub had four hits and three runs scored in the Vandals loss.
Additionally, help is requested to raise money for baseballs. The league is now down to 18 as the Saukie woods swallow up more and more pearls.
(7/26/06) River Bandits 15, Meteors 14
After one year hiatus, the River Bandits (8-3) are making a push towards another appearance in the VLB World Series.
With a 15-14 nail-biting win over Matt Veto's Meteors, Scott Ellefritz's squad sealed up the Saukie Division and is on the heels of a five-game winning streak. The Meteors (6-6) have dropped four in a row.
The victory was not easily attained, however. What once was a comfortable 10-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning, diminished for the River Bandits. The Meteors challenged the Bandits with big Bob Zerull and his mighty bat.
The Meteors carved into the lead by scoring three in the seventh. With two outs, Zerull hit his second home run of the day in the eighth to pull the game to within a run, 10-9.
Continuing to bat around the order, the Meteors put runners on second and third. Veto hit an opposite field single to tie the game. A single by Rowdy Frederiksen gave the Meteors an 11-10 lead going into the ninth.
The Bandits bounced back plating five runs in the inning. Three Bandits had six hits in the contest including a 6-for-8 performance by Andy Moeller, which yielded 8 RBI and his first career VLB homer.
Trailing 15-11 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Meteors recorded two quick outs. They sparked another two-out rally. With two runs in (15-13), the Meteors had runners on the corners with Zerull coming up. Ellefritz chose to walk the bases loaded to face Eric Lindburg who delivered a single. The rally was not to be, however, as the Bandits secured the final out, the division, and home-field advantage in the playoffs against the Meteors.
Since the final Saukie match-up between the Bandits and the Eskimos (4-7) has no bearing on the division, it will not be played.
(7/22/06) Eskimos 11, Meteors 5 (7)
Jon Escajeda got to ride his cycle at Saukie Field hitting safely six times, and secured the first VLB cycle of the season.
Escajeda's Eskimos hurt the Meteors chances of winning the Saukie Division by downing Matt Veto's crew 11-5 in seven innings.
With only 10 players, right field was called out in the contest. Jon Escajeda and James Francescon each had six hits in the win.
The Meteors struggled to get the bats going as lazy pop flies led to the Meteors demise. The Eskimos win the season series over the Meteors 2-1.
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