BATS DEFEAT MARAUDERS, 9-3, FOR HISTORIC WIN; FIRST EVER 3-0 START TO SEASON
GENOA CITY — It may not have been the biggest win in Bats history, but it was an unprecedented win — both statistically and geographically. The Bats boosted their record to 3-0 using a 7-run second inning to spark a 9-3 victory over the Marauders (1-2). It was the first time the Bats franchise started a season off with 3 straight victories since jumping to the older division in 2004. It was also the first NIMBL Master’s Division game to be played outside the Illinois borders.
The Bats were supposed to open the season at Torstenson Field in Genoa City, Wisc. on April 23 against the Lightning, but cold weather cancelled all NIMBL games that day. Instead, the Bats had to wait until Sunday, May 28 against the Marauders for their first home game and first trip across the Illinois-Wisconsin boarder to play a league game.
John Eisenmenger once again took the hill for the Bats setting the Marauders down 1-2-3 in the top of the first. The Bats were also held scoreless in the first although they did garner a hit batsman and a walk in the inning to no avail.
The Marauders failed to score in the second while the Bats answered with a 7-run outburst in their half of the inning. Matt Weiss, Greg Mahlstedt and Earl Blankenship led off with three straight singles to load the bases for Jeff McClellan. With McClellan at the plate, Weiss was thrown out at home on a pitch that skirted away from the catcher who threw to the pitcher covering the base. The speedy Weiss argued he slid in under the tag, but the pitcher claimed he tagged the runner on the big toe.
McClellan then coaxed a walk to reload the bases for Mike Steffy who promptly lined a sharp single to right-center field to score Mahlstedt from third for a 1-0 lead. Former Bats manager Rich Skibski, called up for the weekend from the Bats Tennessee farm club, walked to drive in another run, and chase the Marauders starting pitcher. Tom Klauba greeted the reliever with a single driving in one more run to make it 3-0.
Following a fielder’s choice out at the plate that kept the bases loaded, Greg Kaczmarek drew a 2-out walk to drive home Skibski for a 4-0 lead. Rob Matassa then singled home 2 runs followed by Weiss’s run-scoring single to close out the scoring with the Bats leading, 7-0.
The Marauders came back with a run in third inning on a single, a hit batter and another single to make it 7-1. They pulled to within 7-3 in the fifth with 2 runs on 4 hits, but Eisenmenger put out the fire himself by getting the last two outs with a pop up at the mound and a strike out to end the inning.
Steffy’s second run-scoring single of the game in the bottom of the fifth made it 8-3, and the Bats added one more in the sixth to boost the lead back up to 9-3. Eisenmenger surrendered a leadoff single to start the seventh, but stranded the runner there with a flyout to left field sandwiched in between two strikeouts to end the game. Eisenmenger (3-0) ended the game with a season high 5 strikeouts.
The Bats (3-0) next game will be at 10:00 AM on Sunday, June 4 against the Mariners (0-3) at Krisk Park- Stan Torstenson Field in Genoa City, Wisc.
STARS OF THE GAME
1st Star — Mike Steffy – 2-for-3; 2 RBI. Drove in the first run of the game to give the Bats a 1-0 lead and answered the Marauders 2 runs in the top of the 5th with his second run-scoring single in the bottom half of the inning.
2nd Star — John Eisenmenger – Gained his third complete game victory scattering 9 hits with 5 strikeouts in 7 innings. Pitched last 4 innings with 2 HBP, knowing a third one would chase him from the game.
3rd Star — Greg Mahlstedt – 2-for-4 at the plate with a run. Had 2 hits in the same inning (2nd). Called another great game helping John navigate around 9 hits.
Honorable Mentions — Rob Matassa – 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. Tom Klauba — 2-for-2 with walk and HBP to reach base all 4 times. Rich Skibski — Drove 10 hours from Tennessee to play in game. Walked twice with 1 RBI.
BATS DROPPINGS
The 3-0 start to the season also marks the first time the Bats entered the month of June undefeated. Their best record going into June prior to Sunday’s victory was a 2-1 mark in both 2004 and 2006. Their worst mark entering June was 0-4 in 2012 and repeated in 2016 …. The Bats 30 runs scored in their first three games this season is the most they’ve plated since scoring 41 runs in the first three games of the 2007 season, a feat that included a 31-8 victory …. Rob Matassa has had bases loaded 2-run singles in each of the first three games, giving him the Bats team lead with 6 RBI …. After going 1-for-4 on Opening Day, leadoff man Tom Klauba has reached base 8 straight times (5 hits, a walk, and 2 HBP) in the Bats next two contests …. A total of six Bats players had 2 hits in the game (Tom Klauba, Rob Matassa, Matt Weiss, Greg Mahlstedt, Earl Blankenship and Mike Steffy), with Weiss and Mahlstedt each collecting their 2 hits in the Bats 7-run second inning …. Outfielder Jeff McClellan coined a new term in the dugout during the first inning of play after leadoff hitter Tom Klauba was hit by a pitch. When the distracted scorekeeper asked what happened on that at bat, Jeff responded, “He was Tonied.” — a semantic homage to Tony DiBlasi the Bats all-time career leader in HBP with 43 plunks.
