BATS START FIVE NIMBL ROOKIES IN OPENING DAY LOSS TO ANGELS 

WAUCONDA — The Algonquin Bats introduced five new players to the Northern Illinois Mens Baseball League on Sunday in their 11-5 loss to the Angels at Wauconda High School.  Due to player movement, retirement and injuries the Bats had to bolster their line-up with some new faces for the 2019 season.  The Bats rookies are Rob Matassa, Harry Mielke, Tim Niesen, Tom Paul and Kevin Pyne and they wasted little time contributing.

After falling behind, 1-0, in the first inning the Bats went ahead, 2-1, in the top half of the third.  Consecutive singles to start the frame by Pyne, Rich Skibski and Denny Prosperi led to their first run with Prosperi’s single to left scoring Pyne.  Moments later Skibski came in to score the second run on a ground ball double play.

The Angels scored 5 runs in their half of the third inning on a walk, 2 hits and 2 errors to regain a 6-2 lead.  They also scored 2 in the fourth, 2 in the fifth and 1 in the sixth to put the game away.

The Bats scored another run in the fourth when Paul doubled with one out and Matassa singled him home one out later.  In the fifth inning Mielke led off with a single and eventually came around to score to make it 8-4.  The Bats final run was driven in by a Matt Weiss single in the seventh to close the gap to 11-5.  Weiss also pitched the first five innings surrendering 10 runs (6 earned) on 7 hits while striking out 6.  Matassa pitched the final inning allowing 1 unearned run with 1 strikeout.

The Bats next game will be on Sunday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m. against the Yard Dogs at Emricson Park in Woodstock, Ill. 

BATS DROPPINGS  

Leadoff hitter Earl Blankenship picked up where he left off last season collecting 2 hits in 3 trips to the plate.  In 2018 he led the team with 8 multi-hit games while batting .460 …. The Bats failed to draw a walk against the Angels.  Last season the Bats went without a walk in only two games …. Failure to make the plays continues to plague the Bats as they made 6 errors leading to 5 unearned runs.  Last year the Bats had 5 games in which they made 6 or more errors.