Posted: 7/9/03

Legion team beats St. Paul Park with early lead

Joe Drennan
Sports Editor

In front of a scarce holiday-week crowd, the Forest Lake Legion baseball team took on St. Paul Park at Schumacher Field Wednesday evening.

The Rangers struck first in the bottom half of the first inning when they scored two runs.

ìYou canít spot this team any runs early,î Forest Lake coach Mike Welch. ìThey (St. Paul Park) are a vocal team so it was good to get them quiet early.î
The second inning was not so rewarding for the Rangers as Bonie of St. Paul Park struck out the side.

Forest Lake got another run in the third inning. Karl Young led off with a single, then stole second. Young moved to third off of a Brian Welch sacrifice bunt. Young then came in to score when Storm singled up the center.

St. Paul Park tied the game in the top of the fourth, when Kraushaar came to bat and hit a three run home run to right field.

ìIt (the home run) didnít seem to do a thing to the players because they came right back,î Welch said. ìThe guys had the look in their eyes like it was their ball game.î

In the bottom half of the fifth inning, Storm came to the plate with runners on first and second base. Storm lined the ball into right center, scoring both runs all while he slid into third safely.
Forest Lake finished their scoring in the sixth inning when they added another two runs making the score 7-3 in favor of the Rangers.

Forest Lake pitcher Brian Welch went the distance giving up 7 hits while striking out 8 and not allowing any walks.

ìWe have had three complete games in the last few outings, but before that we havenít had any,î said coach Mike Welch.

The Rangers played Hastings on June 30, in Hastings.

Forest Lake pitcher Ben Zierk could not make it out of the first inning as he gave up four runs and was replaced by Steve Carlisle.

The Rangers evened things up after they scored one in the first and three more in the third inning. Carlisle helped his own cause in the three run third when he hit a two-out single scoring two.

When all was said and done, Forest Lake had won 9-7.

Carlisle had only pitched three innings all season prior to the game. In the six and two thirds innings he pitched, Carlisle gave up three runs on three hits while striking out nine.
The Rangers lost to Stillwater on July 7 by a score of 7-3.

Stillwater jumped out to an early lead when they scored three in the first inning. Forest Lake came within one when they scored two in the second.

Stillwater added another run in the fifth inning, and Forest Lake answered back with one of their own to stay within one run.

Stillwater added two more runs in the sixth, and one more in the seventh.

Karl Young pitched 5 and one third innings for the Rangers, and Ben Zierk came in the game in relief.

Despite a good pitching performance by Young, the Rangers could not generate much defensive support.

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