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Limited offense leaves Rangers with 1-3 record
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Wednesday, 16 April 2008
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Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor
In its season-opening victory, the Forest Lake baseball team put up 10 runs in just five innings, but left the Metrodome knowing the offense had to improve.
After the Rangers lost to Mounds View and Woodbury last week, they still need to work on the hitting, but also adjust to finally playing outdoors. Against Mounds View on Tuesday, April 8, the boys found just two runs, but they got them when they absolutely needed them — in the top of seventh inning.
Entering the seventh, the score was tied 0-0, with Forest Lake pitcher Matt Zidar matching the Mustang’s Paul Myers and Anthony Tallarico in a scoreless effort.
“Matt Zidar pitched tremendously; he pitched a no-hitter through five,” head coach Brain Raabe said.
When the Rangers came up for their final at bat, the speedy Billy Rosenthal and Cole Goodyear were brought home on clutch RBIs by Kyle Young and Mike Schultz, giving Forest Lake a 2-0 lead with only three outs to go.
A trio of Mounds View runs spoiled the idea of starting the season 2-0, as a pair of errors and a whopper of a sacrifice fly (two runs scored) led to the team’s first setback of the spring.
“It was a tough loss for us,” Raabe said. “We played actually pretty well. We played great up until the bottom of the seventh inning and things fell apart a little bit and we ended up losing.”
The following afternoon, in a bit of a scheduling change, Woodbury visited Schumacher Field and played as if it truly was their home park.
Both clubs scored in the first inning, and the Rangers came back to go up 2-1 in the second. Problems arose in the bottom half of the inning, when the Royals scrambled for four runs and went on to win, 7-4.
“I think they’re coming (along),” Raabe said of his players. “It’s been a tough year because we haven’t had any time to practice, so we’re trying to feel who’s supposed to play where during games, and usually you have that done in practice.”
Too much Cretin
In Monday’s home game, Cretin-Derham Hall came to town after a recent loss to Hastings, but then left with a 11-1 victory over Forest Lake.
Raabe and his crew traveled to Hastings on Tuesday and Stillwater on Wednesday, before greeting Duluth Central at 4:30 p.m. this Saturday.
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