Posted: 5/11/05
Baseball team bounces back
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
Things were looking bleak for the Forest Lake High School baseball team when they dropped their first two games of the week, but then they bounced back with an extra innings win Friday night.
The Rangers started the week off with a 3-2 loss to Suburban East Conference rival White Bear Lake last Tuesday night. The two teams battled in a 1-1 game into the 11th inning. White Bear Lake scored two runs in the top of the inning and the Rangers came fighting back, scoring one run before loading the bases. The White Bear Lake pitcher was able to fend off the Rangers and end the game.
ìIt was one of the best high school baseball games I have been involved with,î Rangers head coach Brian Raabe said. ìWe had timely hitting and plays at the plate and the boys played extremely well. Somebody had to lose and unfortunately it was us.î
The very next day the Rangers traveled to Woodbury where they had a 7-3 lead after two inning. Little did the Rangers know they wouldnít score another run in the game. Woodbury, however, added eight runs in the third, one in the fourth and five more in the sixth on their way to a 17-7 victory.
ìWe didnít do anything well that day,î Raabe said. ìWe just got done playing 11 innings the day before and we were tired and it showed.î
Friday night the Rangers returned home to The Ballpark at Schumacher Field for a night game that drew a large crowd.
ìIt was clearly the biggest crowd that park has ever seen,î The Ballpark at Schumacher Field supporter Corbett Johnson said.
Raabe was happy to see the crowd as well, noting that the Rangers intentionally scheduled several night games this season to allow fans to come out and enjoy the games.
ìWeíre really starting to develop something here and the crowds are great,î Raabe said. ìVisiting teams are even commenting on the crowds, the park deserves it too. A lot of people have put a lot of work into the place.î
The large crowd, announced around 450, was treated to quite the baseball game as the Rangers took on Hastings.
Hastings jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but soon after Trip Schultz drove in the first two Rangers runs on a triple to right-center field. The Rangers added two more runs to take a 4-2 lead that they carried into the bottom of the seventh inning.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Schultz gave up a double to Hastings that scored two runs, tying the game. Zach Guttormson came on in relief to get the final out of the inning.
The Rangers were unable to score in the bottom half of the inning and the game headed into extra innings.
ìTrip had his chance to get the complete game victory and we had the match-up we wanted in lefty versus lefty,î Raabe said. ìSometimes itís hard to get that last out.î
Guttormson kept Hastings off the board in the eighth and Schultz was the first Rangers batter to the plate in the bottom half of the inning. Schultz swung at the first pitch, sending it over the fence in right field for a home run, giving the Rangers a 5-4 victory.
ìThat game was probably the second best game behind the White Bear Lake game, Raabe said. ìWe were 0-2 for the week and the win changed the whole complexion of the week.
The Rangers next game is Friday at 7 p.m. at The Ballpark at Schumacher Field when they host Roseville.
Forest Lake Times
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Forest Lake, MN 55025
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