Streak stays alive at 9
A’s handle Mudhens 10-0 to extend winning streak to 9 games gamesKelsey Duckett kduckett@marshallindependent.com
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MARSHALL - They're keeping the streak alive.
The Marshall A's have won nine straight games - five of them coming in the last four days after a 10-0 win over the Minneota Mudhens Monday night.
The A's are not only outscoring and outhitting their opponents, but they are managing to save some of their pitching staff for the playoffs.
"I think we are always confident that we can play," Marshall A's manager Sean Culhane said. "But like I have said before, winning is contagious, hitting is contagious and pitching has become contagious - going out and having a good outing. It is really good to be playing well going into this weekend and the playoffs."
The A's put another first-timer on the mound Monday night in Brad Engel who had an effective debut, shutting out Minneota in four innings of work allowing three hits with five strike outs.
"I was pleasantly surprised with Brad's outing," Culhane said. "I knew (Andrew) Kinney had pitched before, but Brad really hasn't and he threw well. The only reason we stopped him is because we need to throw him on Wednesday. It was nice to find another arm especially with us making our stretch run right now."
After a quiet first, the A's got to work in the home half of the second inning when Derek Rignell reached on an infield error. Derek West then hit a single, putting runners on the corners. There were two outs when Bobby Zellmann stepped to the plate and delivered in a big way, ripping a three-run home run down the left-field line making it 3-0 A's.
Marshall wasn't done. Cody Trumm followed up with a double off the ivy in left and Dereck Salisbury followed that with a double down the first-base line scoring Trumm, then Chace Pollock delivered with a RBI-single to score Salisbury and make it 6-0 Marshall.
"It is good, it was a good win," Marshall shortstop Pollock said. "Any win is a good win, especially this game. We got a lot of guys in and got a lot of guys good at-bats. It was good for our whole team, not just the nine guys that started (Monday)."
Marshall added to its lead in the bottom-half of the fourth as Pollock ripped a one-out double. He advanced to third on a single by Kinney putting runners on the corners for Nate Koppi who hit a sacrifice fly to score Pollock. Rignell then delivered a RBI-single to make it 8-0 Marshall.
"I thought I was seeing the ball really well," Pollock said. "After the weekend seeing a lot of good pitching it really gears you up and playing three games in two days, but seeing a lot of pitching gets you ready for anyone you will see."
Kinney relieved Engel in the fifth inning, after back-to-back walks, he struck out the final three batters of the inning. It was more of the same for Kinney in the final two innings fanning two in the sixth and striking out the side in the seventh to end the game.
"This summer it has been a little bit different as far as pitching goes," Pollock said. "We have had a lot if pitchers that haven't throw for us much. It is nice to see some new arms, Brad Engel pitched well (Monday) I haven't seem him pitch all summer and Kinney came in and pitched well. It is nice that we can save some arms, we are gearing up for the playoffs and it will be a big series on Saturday."
The A's plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth, to earn the 10-run rule win. Kyle Culhane in a pinch-hitting appearance hit a one-out double, he advanced to third on a wild pitch before Kinney drew a walk. Marc Craigmile picked up an RBI on a groundout to second before Rignell reached on an error that scored Kinney to make it 10-0 Marshall.
"We need to continue to pick each other up," Pollock said. "Everyone isn't always going to come up with that clutch hit that you need, so we need to rely on the next guys coming up. It is a team effort - it is never an individual win in a game and we know that."
Marshall improves to 20-5 on the season and will be back in action tonight when they hit the road to take on Brookings. The A's will then host Lamberton on Wednesday before taking on the Mankato Twins, in a league game on Saturday.
Minneota picked up the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and will host No. 5 seed Milroy Irish on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Minneota 000 000 0-0 4 2
Marshall 060 202 X-10 11 0
MI-Josh Williams, Aaron Sanow (2), Tanner Ulstad (5). MA-Brad Engel, Andrew Kinney (5). HR: MA-Bobby Zellmann. 2B: MA-Dereck Salisbury, Cody Trumm, Chace Pollock, Kyle Culhane.
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07-21-09 1:16 PM
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How many times are the Marshall A's going to play Minneota? And why won't the A's play the MIlroy Yankees, a natural rival? Of course, there are only about 30 people in Marshall who actually care about amateur baseball anyway...
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