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Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor
The way it stands right now, the pivotal game for the Forest Lake baseball season was one that left head coach Brian Raabe red with frustration, as his team bumbled and fumbled away a 4-0 loss to Mounds View.
Since that April 28 contest, the Rangers pulled the proverbial 180, and had the loquacious coach talking in positives.
The boys were also coming off two straight wins as they headed into the Section 7AAA postseason Tuesday afternoon, when they hosted Princeton.
“I can’t be any prouder of the team the way we finished up,” Raabe said. “The team went 7-3 the last half to finish at 10-10, with momentum going into the playoffs.”
Raabe loves himself some defense, pitching and timely hitting, but lately Forest Lake has had a full-time offense.
Thursday’s 4-1 victory over Chisago Lakes even looked efficient in the box score, with Brent Kolbow and Mike Schultz leading the Rangers to a .346 batting average.
Matt Zidar was back on the mound for Forest Lake, and he picked up the win by throwing six strikeouts in four innings, and walking only two. Ty Cremisino went an inning in relief and limited Chisago Lakes to a whole lotta nothing.
May 20 was a better example of the new-found offense, when the Rangers traveled to Anoka and piled up nine runs in a 9-1 win.
Kolbow was 2-for-4 with three RBI, and Billy Rosenthal had two hits, scored twice and knocked in a run.
Michael Swenson went all seven innings as the Forest Lake starter, and had his usual safe and sound approach, with eight strikeouts and zero walks.
If the boys were successful in their bid to defeat Princeton (3-16), the sixth-seeded Rangers would travel to Grand Rapids on Saturday, May 31 for a 1 p.m. game.
Box Score
Rangers 030 510 0—9 9 0
Anoka 001 000 0—1 7 2
Swenson and Evgen; Trewin, Gegan (5) and Boughner.
W—Swenson (3-2).
L—Trewin.
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