Explorers Win Planggers Tournament

June2007

Explorers Win Planggers Tournament

June 17, 2007

Elkhart, IN

Elkhart, IN

The Midland Explorers won the Planggers tournament over the weekend, going 5-1, and defeating Ashalnd, OH in the championship. Season record is now 14-3. Pitcher Mike Joseph went 4-0 on the weekend.

Game 1

Explorers 6, Ashland 1

WP - Mike Joseph (8K) 4-1, LP - Jeff Wilson (4K

Kyle Beane was 2x4 with a HR and 3 RBI. Todd Moore was 2x2 with 3 RBI. Luke Painter with a solo HR for Ashland.

Game 2

Dolan and Murphy 4, Explorers 3

WP - Juan Portilichio (10K), LP - Grant Patterson (11K) 5-1

DM scored winning run in bottom of the 7th on infield single by Dave Perkins. Mike Joseph was 2x2 for Midland.

Game 3

Explorers 11, Blackhawk Athletic Club 5 (8 innings)

WP - Mike Joseph (in relief of Luke Raymer) 5-1, LP - Vic Flores

Explorers tied game in 7th on 2-run triple by Dave Frick, then scored 6 in the 8th on a 2-out triple by Beane, 2-run homer by Steve Roberts, and a 2-run single by Mike Joseph.

Beane 4x5, 4RBI. Roberts 3x5, HR 3 RBI. Todd Moore 4x5. Frick 3x4.

Game 4

Explorers 3, Rice Creek Lightning 0

WP - Grant Patterson 6-1, LP - Sean Kelly

Mike Joseph singled in Todd Moore (triple) for first run. Schultz and Reid Benson with RBI's in the 5th. Schultz 3x4 and Moore 2x2.

Game 5

Explorers 2, Planggers 1

WP - Mike Joseph 6-1, LP - Rick Plangger

Joseph drove in both runs with a single and Dave Frick was 2x2.

Game 6 - Championship

Explorers 5, Ashland 4 (9 innings)

WP - Mike Joseph (in relief of Luke Raymer) 7-1, LP - Tom Berube (in relief of Jeff Wilson)

Ashland jumped out to a lead in the 1st. bit Frick with RBI double scoring Eddy Ketelhut in the 2nd. Both teams scored 2 in the 4th. Beane HR gave Midland the lead in the 5th. Ashland tied game with 2 out in the 7th. Horning walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th gave Midland the win.

Explorers in action next weekend at Emerson Park in Midland with exhibition games against the Michigan Twisters, St. Thomas, and Jarvis on Saturday and Sunday.

Kyle Beane

kbeane8@yahoo.com

Ashland Mets at Elkhart

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

The Ashland Mets finished second at the Plangger's Invitational in Elkhart, In. They were 1-2 in pool play Saturday, but won the first 2 games of single-elimination play on Sunday to reach the finals. Ashland fell to the Midland Explorers 5-4 in 9 innings in the championship game.

Pool Play

Game 1

Midland Explorers 6, Ashland 1

WP - M. Joseph, LP - Jeff Wilson

Luke Painter hit a home run for Ashland

Game 2

Aurora Dolan & Murphy 1, Ashland 0

WP - J. Portilichio, LP - Tom Berube

Game 3

Ashland 6, Rice Creek Lightning 4

WP - Tom Berube, LP - Kelly

A 3-run HR by Greg Tomacek in the 4th gave Ashland the lead. Justin Blair also had 2 singles

Single Elimination Play

Game 4

Ashland 9, Boone Co. 1 (5 innings)

WP - Tom Berube

Berube threw a 1-hitter. Luke Painter led the Ashland offense with 2 doubles

Game 5 (semi-final)

Ashland 6, Dolan & Murphy 5

WP - Jeff Wilson, LP - J. Portilichio

Ashland took the lead in the 5th when Justin Blair singled, Kevin Scott doubled, Brian Culler tripled, and Jeff Wilson homered, all with 2 outs.

Game 6 (championship)

Midland 5, Ashland 4 (9 innings)

WP - M. Joseph, LP - Tom Berube (relieved Wilson in the 4th)

A run scoring single by Jeff Wilson and a 2-run single by Craig Scott gave Ashland an early lead. Bryan Hall tripled and scored in the 7th to send it to extra innings.

Brian Culler

Ashland, Ohio

thecullers@zoominternet.net

Aurora Improves to 24-5 after going 3-1 and earning #1 seed at Plangger Invitational

Aurora, IL

Aurora Dolan & Murphy started the weekend strong at the Plangger Invitational in Elkhart, IN, earning the #1 seed entering Sunday’s elimination play. The Shamrocks went 3-0 on Saturday defeating the #14 ranked Midland Explorers, #23 ranked Ashland Mets, and #24 ranked Plangger Furniture. Aurora took a 4-2 lead into the 5^th inning of the semi-final game versus the Ashland Mets. With two outs, the Shamrocks were unable to come up with a couple of plays opening the door to Ashland’s offense. The Mets posted four runs in the fifth. The Shamrocks answered with one run in the seventh, but left two runners stranded for a disappointing loss and elimination.

With the solid one-two punch of Juan Potolicchio and Jonas Mach and an upgraded offense, Aurora has reached the semi-final in every tournament this year (the last two, Walcott and Grafmeier, were not played out due to rain). The Shamrocks have many key wins this season that include the #8 ranked Circle Tap and the #14 ranked Midland Explorers. The Shamrock’s will play a DH against the Springfield Brandt's next Sunday, June 24^th before heading into a great stretch of tournaments that includes: Boys of Summer (Denmark, WI), AFSA Classic (Aurora, IL), Thomson Round Robin (Thomson, IL), ASA Major (South Bend, IN), and ISC WT (Kitchener, ON).

Below is a summary of Aurora’s four games this past weekend:

Game 1:
Aurora 4
Midland 3

WP: Juan Potolicchio
LP: Grant Patterson

DJ Cocks RBI single to score Dave Schuett in the bottom of the seventh.

Game 2:
Aurora 1
Ashland 0

WP: Juan Potolicchio (17 K’s)
LP: Tom Berube

Dave Schuett - RBI

Game 3:
Aurora 4
Benton Harbor 1

WP: Jonas Mach (2 hits, 15 K’s)
LP: Rick Plangger

PJ McKinney - 3x3, triple, RBI, Tobin - RBI

*****#1 Seed entering Elimination Play*****

Game 4:
Aurora 5
Ashland 6