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Chisago Lakes 31

Zimmerman 3

Last Tuesday, the Chisago Lakes baseball team powered past a very young and inexperienced Zimmerman team, knocking in 31 runs on 29 hits, rolling to an easy 31-3 win. The Wildcats had most of their starting line-up out of the game by the third inning.

Individually, Ike Dibble, Kyle Collins, Derrick Olson, and Karl Lee finished the game with three hits apiece. Collins, Olson, Mark Unger, and Anthony Mansk all picked up three RBI’s.

Chisago Lakes 31, Zimmerman 3

Achartz 1-3, 2 R

Rancourt 1-3, 3 R

Unger 2-3, 3 RBI, 3 R

Mueller 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

Moody 1-3, 2 R

Dibble 3-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

Collins 3-3, 3 RBI, 3 R

Taurinskas 1-3, RBI, R

Der. Olson 3-3, 3 RBI, 3 R

Jones 2-3, 2 RBI, R

Lee 3-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

Stomberg 0-2, RBI

Pearl 2-3, RBI, 3 R

Golv 1-1, R

Froberg 1-3, 2 RBI

Spehar 1-1, RBI, 2 R

Mansk 2-5, 3 RBI, 3 R

WP: Mueller (2-0)

Chisago Lakes 9

Big Lake 1

The Wildcats knew things would not be as easy last Thursday when they traveled to Big Lake to face the Hornets. Even so, Chisago jumped on Big Lake right away, scoring all nine of their runs in the first four innings.

Batting in the top of the first, Thomas Moody put Chisago on the board, knocking in Jimmy Achartz with a double. Kyle Collins then followed with an RBI single before Karl Lee added to the lead by driving in Collins with a double, putting the ‘Cats in front 3-0. It seems that striking fast has become the Wildcats M.O.this year.

“It has, and the odd part about the whole thing is that last year, we were behind in 15 of our 23 games going into the fourth inning,” smiled Pat Collins, Chisago Lakes head baseball coach. “I don’t know what it is. I think the kids have more confidence than last year, they know how to put a team away.”

Big Lake almost came right back. In the bottom of the second, the Hornets had runners on first and third with one out. Already with one run in, a timely hit would’ve made it an entirely different game. Instead, the Wildcats experience showed through, getting out of the jam.

With Matt Stomberg on the mound, Big Lake tried to steal second, only to have Stomberg catch the Hornet runner in a rundown. While that was happening, the Hornets sent their runner from third, looking to score their second run of the game. It didn’t happen. Achartz threw a perfect strike to Kyle Collins who applied the tag. Collins then threw it back to first to double up the Big Lake runner, ending the inning. It was a crucial turning point in the game.

“Our experience showed up there,” commented Collins. “That was a pivotal point in the game. If they would’ve scored two or three runs in that inning, it would’ve been an entirely different ball-game.”

In other words, it opened the door for Chisago to put the game away, something they did in the top of the third, scoring four more runs.

With runners at first and second and two outs, Stomberg walked to load the bases. Todd Froberg then knocked in two runs with an RBI single, followed by two more runs on an Achartz hit, jumping the Wildcat lead to 7-1.

Chisago added two more runs in the fourth, moving their lead to 9-1. From there, Stomberg did the rest, shutting the Hornets down en route to a 9-1 win. For the game, Stomberg worked seven innings, allowing four hits and striking out six. The only run scored by Big Lake was unearned.

“It was a typical Stomberg game. He just throws strikes and puts it in play, he really pitched well,” said Collins.

Meanwhile, at the plate, Lee finished with three hits and an RBI. Moody also finished with a run batted in, running his season RBI total to 12.

“He’s (Moody) swinging the bat as well as anybody that I’ve ever had,” replied Collins. “He’s just killing the ball. Also, Karl Lee has really been swinging the bat well. They all have.”

How well? Since losing their first game of the season against Forest Lake, the Wildcats have scored 125 runs, averaging more than 14 runs per game. Yes, 32 of those runs came against one team (Zimmerman), but if you take that game out of the equation, they’re still averaging over 11 runs per contest.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Chisago Lakes 9, Big Lake 1

R H

Chisago Lakes 304 200 0 9 10

Big Lake 010 000 0 1 4

Achartz 2-3, 2 RBI, R

Rancourt 0-1

Unger 1-4

Golv BB

Reed 1-4, R

Dibble 0-1

Moody 1-3, RBI, R

Taurinskas BB

Collins 1-4, RBI, 3 R

Spehar 0-1

Lee 3-3, RBI, R

Der. Olson 0-3

Jones 0-1

Stomberg 0-2, RBI, R

Pearl BB

Froberg 1-4, 2 RBI, R

WP: Stomberg (3-1)

7 IP, 4 H, R, 6 K, BB

Chisago Lakes

tournament- Game one

Chisago Lakes 10

Hibbing 8

The week was just getting started for the Wildcats. Last Friday, the ‘Cats opened up the Chisago Lakes tournament with Hibbing. Aside from the outcome, it wasn’t what Pat Collins wanted to see.

In the game, the Wildcats defense was uncharacteristically shaky, commiting seven errors, helping Hibbing build an early lead.

Two Chisago mistakes aided the Bluejackets in the first as Hibbing struck for four quick runs, all off of starter Derrick Olson. Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the first, Chisago pulled within two on a towering two-run home run by Danny Reed.

After adding their fifth run of the game in the third, two more Chisago errors helped Hibbing build a 7-2 lead after three and a half innings. However, in the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats started their comeback. Josh Pearl knocked in Kyle Collins from second, pulling Chisago within four at 7-3. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats rolled to seven more runs, grabbing the lead for the first time in the game. Collins and Mark Unger each knocked in two runs in the sixth while Shawn Rancourt and Nick Taurinskas added one RBI, catapulting Chisago to a 10-7 lead after six. Despite a late run by Hibbing in the seventh, Jimmy Achartz closed the door on the Bluejackets in the top of the seventh, preserving a 10-8 win.

The comeback victory stretched the Wildcats winning streak to 10 games, moving their overall record to 10-1 on the season.

Chisago Lakes 10, Hibbing 8

R H

Hibbing 401 200 1 8 10

Chisago Lakes 200 107 X 10 9

Achartz 0-4, R

Unger 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

Reed 1-2, 2 RBI, R, HR

Moody 0-2

Collins 3-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

Lee 1-4, R

Pearl 1-2, RBI

Rancourt 1-1, RBI, R

Froberg 0-1, R

Taurinskas 0-2, RBI, R

Olson BB

WP: Achartz (1-0)

3 IP

Der. Olson

1/3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, K

Golv

3.2 IP

Game two-

St. Francis 9

Chisago Lakes 5

Less than 24 hours after the ‘Cats escaped their second loss of the season, last Saturday, St. Francis made sure that wouldn't happen again.

The Saints used four runs in the second and four more in the seventh to pull away from the ‘Cats, winning 9-5.

Meanwhile, Chisago scored a run in five different innings, including in the seventh where they trailed 9-4. Kyle Collins knocked in Mark Unger for the Wildcats fifth run of the game, leaving the ‘Cats four runs short.

Thomas Moody led the Wildcats at the plate with three hits and two RBI’s while Karl Lee added two hits. One of Lee’s hits was a home run, that came in the fourth inning.

On the mound, Alexander Mueller picked up the loss, dropping his season record to 2-1.

The loss also snapped the Wildcats 10 game winning streak, bringing their season record to 10-2.

St. Francis 9, Chisago Lakes 5

R H

St. Francis 041 000 4 9 9

Chisago Lakes 101 110 1 5 8

Achartz 0-3, R

Unger 1-3, 2 R

Reed 1-3, RBI, R

Moody 3-4, 2 RBI

Collins 1-4, RBI

Lee 2-3, RBI, R, HR

Olson 0-2

Rancourt 0-3

Froberg 0-2

LP: Mueller (2-1)

6 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 3 K

Achartz

1 IP, K

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