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Fielders Defeat Maui 9-6 in Series Finale

June 2, 2011 - North American League (NAmL)
Lake County Fielders News Release


Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii -June 1, 2011- The Lake County Fielders (5-2) completed their season-opening series in the same fashion they began it: a convincing 9-6 victory against the Maui Na Koa Ikaika (2-5).

The Fielders took an early lead in the top of the 2nd inning with left fielder Matt Mansilla's one-out solo home run. Mansilla's ball just escaped the glove of Maui left fielder J.J. Sherill, whose effort to reach back and rob the homer brought down a piece of the yellow warning barrier that sat atop the left field fence.

However, between innings in the 2nd, Fielders starting pitcher Jino Gonzalez left the game after feeling cramping in his throwing arm. After just one inning of work from Gonzalez, manager Tim Johnson had to rely on his bullpen to get through the game. First out from the pen was righty Nick Gaudi (1-0), who managed to get out of his first inning of relief without worry.

It was in the top half of the 3rd inning that saw the Fielders' offense explode like never before. Gaudi began the inning by hitting a single up the middle of the infield. It was followed up by a single from second baseman Brandon Newton, who was forced out at second during shortstop Rex Rundgren's fielder's choice. With runners at the corners and one out, Lino Garcia stepped to the plate. Still bitter from his three-pitch strikeout in the first inning, Garcia took out his aggression with the first pitch he saw in the 3rd, crushing the pitch and sending it far beyond the left field wall for a three-run home run. For Garcia, it was his third homer of the series.

Argelis Nunez, who made the start in right field, doubled to follow up Garcia's big bop, took third base on a wild pitch and scored on first baseman C.J. Ziegler's groundout. Mansilla doubled as well and he scored two batters later on catcher Joe Dempsey's RBI single. When the inning concluded, the Fielders put up five runs on six hits in the top of the 3rd inning alone, giving them a 6-0 lead.

Gaudi continued his long relief outing by showing some fine skills. He earned major praise from his teammates with a stellar barehanded grab off the bat of Maui centerfielder Mitch Einertson that kickstarted an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play in the bottom of the 3rd. Gaudi also fooled Maui's hitters, striking out six out of eight batters he faced from the 4th inning to the 6th inning, his last. Gaudi would strike out a total of eight batters in his five scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit.

The Fielders' bats were not finished as they added to their lead with one run each in the 5th, 6th and 7th innings. Mansilla grounded into a double play in the 5th to make it 7-0. Rundgren's RBI single in the 6th gave Lake County an eight-run lead. And, third baseman Patrick Brooks' RBI single tallied the ninth and final Fielders run of the game.

In spite of the overwhelming deficit, Maui showed strong signs of life in the bottom of the 8th inning. The Na Koa Ikaika put a 6-spot on the board by way of two hits, four walks, a run-scoring sacrifice fly and a hit batsman. But, the Fielders' nine-run lead loomed large over Maui, and their comeback was not strong enough to withstand the earlier barrage of Lake County's scoring.

Steve Grife finished off the game for the Fielders, earning his first save of the season with 1.1 innings of relief, allowing one hit and three walks and striking out two.

The Fielders have the day off on Thursday before traveling to Yuma, Arizona to face Jose Canseco's Yuma Scorpions. The player/manager, who has been inactive as a player for more than a week, will have to figure out a way to counter the hottest team in the North American League's North Division. The Fielders will use the designated hitter during this five-game, inter-divisional series, as per the American League-style rules used in the South Division.

The first game of the series begins on Friday night from Desert Sun Stadium in Yuma, AZ. The first pitch for all five games of the series is scheduled for 7:35pm local time (9:35pm central). You can listen to the game on 1220 AM WKRS or online at fieldersbaseball.com or wkrs.com.



North American League Stories from June 2, 2011


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