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Fielders Win 2011 Season Opener

May 27, 2011 - North American League (NAmL)
Lake County Fielders News Release


Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii- May 26, 2011- The Lake County Fielders were ready for the 2011 season opener, and it showed in their 9-2 victory against the Maui Na Koa Ikaika. Backed by a solid outing by starting pitcher Vince Bongiovanni, who made his first professional start since August 29, 2009 with Dunedin (Toronto single-A), the Fielders carried the momentum from the field to the batter's box.

Bongiovanni (1-0), who allowed just one run on 4 hits, striking out 7 and walking one in 5 innings of work, retired 10 straight Maui batters after getting into a jam early in the bottom of the 1st inning.

The Fielders' bats kicked into gear in their second time facing Maui's starting pitcher, Ryan Page (0-1). The lefty was rocked to start the top of the 3rd inning. Fielders second baseman Brandon Newton attempted a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Maui third baseman Richard Bargwell.

Fielders shortstop Rex Rundgren brought Newton home with a sharply hit double down the first base line to score the game's first run. Following a Lino Garcia single and Argelis Nunez strikeout, which saw Garcia steal second to put runners in scoring position, Fielders first baseman C.J. Ziegler brought home both Rundgren and Garcia with a key two-run single to right field. When the top of the 3rd inning was all said and done, the Fielders scored 3 runs on 6 hits and an error.

Ziegler was not through for the evening. In his next plate appearance in the top of the 5th inning, Ziegler hit the Fielders' first home run of the season to left field, a two-run roundtripper that extended the Fielders' lead to 5-0. He later hit another two-run homer as added insurance off of Maui reliever David Dinelli in the top of the 8th inning. Ziegler finished the game going 3-for-5 with two HRs and 6 RBI.

Bongiovanni hit a speed bump in the bottom of the 5th inning, but managed to get out of it by allowing only one run. After exiting the game, it was the Fielders' bullpen, comprised of Zac Cline, Brian Daly, Ben Paxton and Steve Grife, that took over. The bullpen combined for 4 innings, allowing just one run on four hits the rest of the evening.

It wasn't just the pitching that shut the door down late in the game. Several strong defensive plays by the Fielders, namely Rundgren's diving lineout catch to rob Maui first baseman Stephen Pearson of a hit in the bottom of the 8th inning, quashed several comeback tries by the Na Koa Ikaika.

The Fielders will look to make it two in a row on Friday night in game two of their series in Maui. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm local time (11:35pm central). You can listen to the game on 1220 AM WKRS or online at fieldersbaseball.com or wkrs.com.

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