Alex Rollin Throws Wonderfully In First Pro Win

Published on July 5, 2008 under Northern League (NL)
Schaumburg Flyers News Release


Kansas City, KS - This was the performance the Schaumburg Flyers had been looking for. The Flyers jumped to an early 2-0 lead on a pair of home runs, and starter Alex Rollin made it stick. Although he did allow one run, the Flyers bullpen was virtually spotless in Rollin's relief, earning him his first professional win in a 2-1 nail-biter over the Kansas City T-Bones. Schaumburg (17-30) snapped a seven-game losing streak in the process, in a game that kept the 8,032 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark on the edge of their seats the entire way.

The Flyer bats only scattered eight hits on the evening, but two of them counted a bit more than most. While leading off the second inning, CF Kurt Crowell (2-for-3, RBI) sent a no-doubter over the high wall in left field to give Schaumburg a 1-0 lead early on. It was the first home run by Crowell in nearly a month, and it was all the support their starter would need to work with early.

Schaumburg's hurler was firing bullets to start the game. Alex Rollin (1-1), in just his second professional start, struck out five Kansas City (23-23) batters through his first three innings of work. T-Bones 2B Rob Watson (0-for-2) and 1B Jim Fasano (2-for-3, RBI) were on that strikeout list, notable in the fact that both are Northern League All-Stars this season.

Although T-Bones starter Kenny Durost (2-3) was working pretty well early, he would make one more mistake to a Flyer batter. With two outs after a double play in the top of the fourth inning, RF Dan Maycock (1-for-4, RBI) took a Durost offering for a home run to right-center field to give the Flyers a 2-0 advantage. Maycock has now driven in exactly one run in his last six games as a Flyer, with two of those RBI coming via the home run.

Kansas City would not let that tally last for long. A leadoff single by T-Bones CF Aharon Eggleston (2-for-2, Run) and a walk to Watson behind him put men on first and second with nobody out. Then Jim Fasano sent a ground-rule double over the wall in right field on one hop, not only making the score 2-1 but putting two T-Bones in scoring position with nobody out. That's when Rollin showed some true grit, inducing two popouts on the infield and striking out 3B Steve Trout (2-for-4) to extinguish the threat. Rollin continued for three scoreless innings after that, throwing seven full innings of one-run, five-hit baseball while striking out seven T-Bones.

Another young Flyer also had a bit of a coming-out party on Saturday night. Although he never scored a run, catcher Hank Lanto (3-for-4) got his first start at catcher in 11 games, and made it count. Lanto not only handed tough pitches in pressure situations behind the plate, but he singled three times at the bottom of the Schaumburg order to extend innings and turn the lineup over more quickly to the sluggers in the middle.

After Rollin's exit, two Flyer relievers worked out of jams to preserve the win. Right-hander John Smith (Hold 1) loaded the bases on two straight walks and one out in the bottom of the eighth, but promptly earned a swinging strikeout and a fly out to left field to keep the lead at one. Then in the ninth, Jim Popp (SV 6) was charged with a hit after a screaming line drive popped out of 3B Vince Harrison's (1-for-3) glove and allowed Steve Trout to reach second base. After a sacrifice bunt put Trout on third with one out, Popp buckled down and repeated the performance of Smith in front of him. A strikeout and a fly out to left field later, the Flyers had won for the first time in over a week and evened the season series between themselves and the T-Bones at 6-6.

Now with a seven-game losing streak behind them, the Flyers will look to enter the All-Star Break with a win tomorrow. Schaumburg sends out RHP Steve Shippey (2-5, 7.84) while Kansas City RHP Zac Stott (1-1, 8.46) will take the mound for the T-Bones. The last game before the Northern League All-Star Break starts at 5:05 p.m. from Kansas City, and you can hear it all on flyersbaseball.com.

The Schaumburg Flyers are a member of the Northern League, a 6-team Independent Professional Baseball League established in 1993. Opening Day is May 15th, 2008. For ticket information call (847) 891-BALL (2255) or visit www.flyersbaseball.com.

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Northern League Stories from July 5, 2008


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