Sunday, April 30 (WEEK 2)

BATS HEAD INTO THE MONTH OF MAY UNDEFEATED FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR

WOODSTOCK — For the second week in a row Opening Day for the NIMBL was postponed due to widespread inclement weather.  The Bats afternoon game against the Marauders at Emricson Park was the victim of unseasonably cold temperatures and a steady rainfall.  The week before on April 23 the Bats early morning game against the Lightning was postponed due an Arctic blast of air.

As a result of the postponements the Bats enter the month of May with no losses — something they have become accustomed to for the last five seasons.  The last time the Bats lost a game in April was in 2018 when the Bats dropped a 15-5 six-inning contest to the Angels at Wauconda High School on April 29 to open the season.

The following year in 2019, The Bats first two games of the season, both in April and sandwiched around Easter Sunday, were postponed.  The Bats played the first weekend in May, but never played again until June as rain and Mothers Day kept them off the field until June 2.

The entire NIMBL season was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid, but the Bats can safely claim they did not lose a game in April that year.

In 2021 the weather was more cooperative as the Bats were able to play two games in April, winning them both — 18-2 over the Angels on April 18 and 3-1 on April 25 over the Lightning.  In fact, the Bats played the entire season without a single postponement, a rarity in the annals of NIMBL history.

Last season in 2022, the Bats only scheduled April contest was postponed against the Marauders, as was their game against the Angels on May 1.  The following Sunday was Mothers Day and the Bats had a scheduled Bye on May 15 meaning the Bats did not play a game in 2022 until May 22 against the Lightning, a 13-2 loss at Carmel High School in Mundelein.

In summary, the Bats have not lost a game in the month of April over the past five years — 2019 (0-0); 2020 (0-0, Covid); 2021 (2-0); 2022 (0-0) and now 2023 (0-0).  Overall, since moving into the older NIMBL division in 2004, the Bats are 5-14-1 during the month of April and 11-33 in the month of May.

The Bats (0-0) next game will be at 10:00 AM on Sunday, May 7 against the Mariners (0-0) at Plote Field in Lake in the Hills, Ill. 

BATS DROPPINGS

The Bats have added and welcome three new players to their roster for the 2023 season — Paul Abbinanti, Deron Goldman and Greg Mahlstedt  …. Three Bats players have active consecutive games playing streaks worth watching in 2023 — Earl Blankenship (81), Tom Paul (49) and John Eisenmenger (33)  .… The Bats have won 20 games over the past two seasons — 11-8 in 2021 and 9-8 in 2022 for a combined record of 20-16.  In comparison, the Bats won a total of 20 games from 2011 through 2019 (20-124-2).