Gary SouthShore 4, Fargo-Moorhead 3 (11 Innings) – Box
The Gary SouthShore RailCats and Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks couldn’t settle the score in regulation, so they went to extra innings. It was there in the 11th inning when the RailCats pulled out a run to squeeze past the RedHawks for the 4-3 win. With a man starting on second base due to league rules, 1B Roger Bernal singled to put men on the corners with no outs. Then, SS Ryan Brockett became the hero with an RBI single to take the game. 1B Joe Bonfe and RF Joe Dunigan each recorded multiple hits for Fargo-Moorhead, while RF Drew Martinez was the lone mutli-hit player for Gary SouthShore.
Fargo-Moorhead’s starting pitcher couldn’t lift his team to victory, but he had a nice outing. Taylor Stanton pitched 7.2 innings and struck out eight while allowing just three earned runs.
St. Paul 12, Lincoln 8 (12 Innings) – Box
After trading runs in the 11th inning, the St. Paul Saints put up five runs in the 12th, too tall of a task for the Lincoln Saltdogs, who lost 12-8. With a man on second base to start the 12th due to league rules, CF Willie Argo homered to give the Saints a two-run lead. DH Mike Kvasnicka later hit an RBI double and SS Anthony Phillips hit an RBI single. Lincoln would try to respond and got a run across in the bottom of the 12th, but a five-run deficit was an insurmountable task.
The Saltdogs lost, but the only reason they had pushed the game to extra innings was a four-run Lincoln ninth inning. Down to their last three outs, the Saltdogs had runs driven in by 3B Eddie Young, LF Matt Forgatch and DH Curt Smith.
Sioux Falls 4, Wichita 3 – Box
It looked like the Sioux Falls Canaries were out of it, but a furious rally in the bottom of the ninth inning allowed them to walk off as 4-3 victors over the Wichita Wingnuts. Down 3-1 and to their last outs, the Canaries started the comeback with a leadoff double from 1B David Bergin. He would score off two wild pitches, cutting the deficit to one. After the next two batters loaded the bases, the Wingnuts walked C Tyler Shover to tie the game. Pinch runner Michael Wing would come in to score the winning run on a wild pitch during the next at bat.
Despite the loss, a couple Wichita players hit well, including RBI doubles from CF Joash Brodin and LF TJ Mittelstaedt. Both starting pitchers – Sioux Falls’ Shawn Blackwell and Wichita’s Tim Brown – recorded quality starts.
Sioux City 14, Winnipeg 0 – Box
Everything was working for the Sioux City Explorers as they walloped the Winnipeg Goldeyes 14-0. Sioux City recorded 16 hits, led by CF-RF Michael Lang, who went 3-for-5 to go with two runs, two RBIs and a walk. The Explorers actually didn’t score until the fourth inning, but DH Matt Koch got things started with a two-RBI double. Sioux City scored seven in the seventh inning, highlighted by LF-RF Rene Tosoni’s two-RBI single.
It wasn’t just the hitting that was going well, the Sioux City pitchers tossed a gem. Starter Ryan Zimmerman went seven innings and only allowed four hits. RHP David Herndon and LHP Anthony Ferrara each worked an inning to complete the shutout.
Although Winnipeg lost, CF Adam Heisler managed to have a solid game at the plate. Heisler finished the game 2-for-4.
Kansas City 11, Rockland 7 – Box
The Kansas City T-Bones outlasted the Rockland Boulders in a high scoring game that saw 28 combined hits. Rockland scored three runs in the first inning behind a 3B Ryan Fisher triple and 1B Charlie Law single. Kansas City responded with nine unanswered runs, capped off by a seven-run fourth inning. The T-Bones recorded five hits in that inning with doubles from 3B Jake Blackwood and DH Joe Rapp. The Boulders would respond with four runs in the fifth, but it wouldn’t be enough. The T-Bones added solo homers from CF Robby Kuzdale and Blackwood later on.
With so many hits on both sides, the pitchers struggled. Four Kansas City relievers had good outings, however. Jared Messer picked up the win with 2.1 innings of work, and Joe VanMeter, Kris Regas and Fernando Hernandez all pitched at least 1.1 innings of scoreless ball.
Grand Prairie 7, Amarillo 0 – Box
The Grand Prairie AirHogs combined a grand slam and dominant pitching to shut out the Amarillo Thunderheads and win 7-0. A sacrifice fly and LF Willie Cabrera RBI single got things started in the first inning. Then in the third inning, with the bases loaded, 3B Ridge Hoopii-Haslam took one yard for four RBIs. C Zane Chavez added a solo home run in the fifth. Hoopii-Haslam clearly led the AirHogs in batting, and RF Logan Vick’s 2-for-5 performance led the Thunderheads.
The AirHogs pitching staff was just as impressive as the grand slam with a combined shutout. Stetson Nelson went the first six innings and picked up the win. RHP Logan Norris, RHP Colin Allen and RHP Dakota Watts each pitched an inning of scoreless relief as well.
Joplin 8, Laredo 8 (Suspended – Top 12th)
The game between Joplin and Laredo was suspended due to the curfew rule with the score tied 8-8 in the top of the 12th inning. The game will be completed on Thursday, July 2 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The regularly scheduled game will follow the completion of the suspended game.
