KIT League Baseball

Tradewater Pirates 1, Union City Greyhounds 0. It was a perfect night for baseball at Riverside Park, and the KIT post-season playoff championship game settled into a real, good old-fashioned pitcher's duel between Chad Boughner of Union City, and lefty James Rechenbach of Tradewater. It seemed strikeouts were the name of the game for inning after inning, as the only thing that slowed the progress of the game was a 30 minute electrical snafu, that Pirate officials finally mastered. The game then resumed, and the pitching duel continued. The Pirates finally broke through in the 7th, as Sean Mahley singled, then stole a base. Pirate catcher Benton Yuan then provided an RBI hit off Boughner, that brought the speedy Mahley around for the game's only tally. Mahley had mastered the Greyhounds the night before, on the hill, in a do-or-die win for the Bucs, and he once again became Union City's undoing. Rechenbach put in a gritty performance for the Pirates, before giving way in the 7th, to Pirate ace Dustin Williams, he of the strikeout king variety. Williams did not disappoint, as he shut down the Dogs over the course of 2 and 2/3 innings, for the win. The Pirates claim both the regular season and post-season crowns, to add to their 2008 regular season triumph. Tradewater won in 2009 the hard way, clawing back from sure defeat, when they were 20-20 on the year, to finish at 33-22. This was a special year for the Pirates, as they also eclipsed the 300 win mark for the organization, and have now recorded six 30 win, or better, seasons, in their eleven year history. A special thanks to all who made this a stellar season, especially our superb coaches- Head Coach Brandon Kitch, Assistant and Pitching Coach Brad Cowan, and Assistant Chris Sexton.

Sunday, August 2 , 2009

Tradewater Pirates 5, Union City Greyhounds 0. Sean Mahley took the mound against Union City Sunday evening with only one thing on his mind.....to win. He did that, and much more, as the crafty lefty shut out the Greyhounds by the count of 5-0, giving Union City starter Kevin Henry the loss. The Pirate victory evens the post-season championship at one game apiece, as the red-hot Bucs win again, their 12th victory in the past 14 games. Mahley and the Pirate defense worked out of only one early, base loaded-no out jam, and preserved the goose egg. The Pirates scored single runs in the first, sixth and eighth innings, and plated a deuce in the 4th frame. The Pirates and Greyhounds face off Monday night for all the KIT post-season marbles, at Riverside Park, Dawson Springs, 7pm. Tradewater moves to 32-22 on the year.

Saturday, August 1 , 2009

Union City Greyhounds 3, Tradewater Pirates 1. Union City takes game 1 of the Championship Series by a final score of 3-1. Justin Guidry pitched a complete game, allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits, striking out 9 and walking 3, while throwing only 112 pitches. The scoring started when Greyhound leadoff hitter Nate Izzo reached safely on an error by the second baseman, followed by a walk to Keith Depew to put runners on first and second. Justin Guidry bunts his way on to load the bases with noone out. Brian Yeung and Andrew Edge both popped out to the infield. Ryan Tabor walks Volk to force in Izzo. Josh Jones reaches on another error by the second baseman to bring in Depew. The Pirates scored their only run in the fourth when Sean Flaherty doubled, scoring Austin Messereli from first who had walked. The Greyhounds added another run in the sixth to give the final score of 3-1..

- Playoffs Round 2 Summaries -

(Click on game title for box scores)

Friday, July 31 , 2009

Union City Greyhounds 2, Fulton Railroaders 1- game 1. The Greyhounds needed a win in Game 2 of the series to stay alive in the Kit League Playoffs, and they got it behind a great pitching performance by Michael Wills. Wills pitched a complete game, giving up 1 run on 5 hits, striking out 3 and walking 5. Dustin Phelps drove in the game winning run in the bottom of the 6th with a bloop single over 3rd base, scoring Andrew Edge, who singled to begin the inning. The Greyhounds look to take the series in Game three tonight.

Union City Greyhounds 1, Fulton Railroaders 0 - game 2. The Greyhounds advance to the Championship Round of the Kit League Playoffs with a 1-0 victory in the third and deciding game of the series against the Railroaders. Brett Wilson pitched a great game to earn the win and Jon Ivie pitched the 7th to earn his 12th save of the year.

Tradewater Pirates 1, Owensboro Oilers 0 - game 1. The Owensboro Oilers 2009 campaign came to an end Friday night with a pair of losses to the visiting Tradewater Pirates. The Pirates came to complete the remaining innings of Thursday's rain-halted game, and they requested playing the second game while the weather afforded the opportunity. The Pirates edged the Oilers in the completion game by the score 1 to 0. The completion game picked up with the game in the bottom of the 5th inning tied 0 to 0, kept knotted by Owensboro starter Nathan Humphrey and his Tradewater counterpart Dustin Williams. The game remained scoreless until Tradewater scored the only run of the game in the top of the 8th inning. With one out, Brock Green hit a solo RBI home run. It was one of only two hits that Oilers reliever Mitch Kellum gave up, but it was enough. Kody Thiebaud picked up the win in relief, and Christian Stutts got the save. Kellum took the loss for the Oilers..

Tradewater Pirates 2, Owensboro Oilers 1 - game 2. In the second game of the unconventional double header, the Pirates officially became the home team. Owensboro manufactured a run in the top of the 4th inning with Pirate help. With one out, Cody Pack doubled. He advanced to third base on a passed ball, and was awarded home on a balk call. The Pirates tied the game with a run in the bottom of the bottom of the 6th inning. Cass Via and Bo Faulk began the inning with back-to- back singles. Sean Mahley executed a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up. That set up Joe Halley for an RBI groundout scoring Via. The game remained 1 to 1 until Tradewater claimed the game and series with the winning run in the bottom of the 10th. With one out, Kyle Brown bunted safely. Via followed with a double sending Brown to third base. The Oilers intentionally walked Faulk to load the bases. Mahley finished the contest off with a squeeze bunt to score Brown coming in from third base. Kody Theibaud again won in relief while Oilers reliever Patrick Crider took Owensboro's last loss of 2009. It was a baseball night that really proved just how important that doing the little things -- or not -- ultimately is in the game. The Owensboro Oilers congratulate the Tradewater Pirates for moving on to the KIT League championship series. We also want to thank the League along with our sponsors, fans, volunteers, and especially our players. The best of luck in bright futures guys!.

Wednesday, July 29 , 2009

Fulton Railroaders 11, Union City Greyhounds 4. In the first game of round 2, the underdogs in Fulton took down the Hounds with 13 hits and 8 earned runs, adding another 3 unearned from Union City miscues. The Greyhounds scoring came early in the game with one run in the 1st and more in the 3rd off a Brian Yeung 3 RBI homer to give Union City their final score of 4. Fulton's starter and "most wins in the season" Travis Tingle threw for 8 innings striking out 13, giving up 6 hits and walking only 2 batters. Tingle was backed up by a strong error free defense that included several great catches in the outfield, in particular one by Tyler Monkman leaping up and off the center field wall to catch a hard hit fly ball. The Greyhounds managed a total of 6 hits, but only got 4 across home and left 4 men on base. With Joey McClung in relief for 1 inning, Fulton's pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts. The Railroaders took the lead in the bottom of 1st scoring 2 runs off 2 hits and never looked back. Fulton added 4 more in the 2nd with 3 hits and a couple of walks. Morgan Gregory added another in the 3rd with a solo homerun. The Railroaders tacked up 4 more runs combined from the 5th inning on using 3 more hits and 3 Greyhound errors (4 total on the night). Fulton's offense was lead by Jacob Daniel going 4 for 6, 2 RBIs, 2 stolen bases and scored twice, and Philip Dean 3 for 5, 2 RBIs, a stolen base and two times across the plate. Dean along with Myles Cordell and Tyler Monkman each had doubles on the evening. Taking the loss for Union City was the league's "Best ERA" pitcher Chad Bougner, who went only 5 innings giving up 9 hits, 7 earned runs (8 total), striking out 5 and walking 3. Andrew White, in relief for Bougner, pitched the final 3 innings striking out 3, walking 2, and giving up 4 hits. The two teams go at it again on Thursday night in Union City for game 2 of round 2 of the playoffs.

- Playoffs Round 1 Summaries -

(Click on game title for box scores)

Wednesday, July 29 , 2009

Owensboro Oilers 10, Sikeston Bulls 2. The Owensboro Oilers won Wednesday's first round playoff game with the visiting Sikeston Bulls. The final score was 10 to 2, but the game was nowhere near the lopside that the final score indicated. Each team scored all their respective runs in single innings, with the Bulls striking at their earliest possible opportunity and the Oilers at almost their last. Sikeston scored two runs in the top of the 1st inning. Leadoff hitter Brian Gose reached on an error. Gose was sacrificed to second base, and came in on a RBI double from Kody Campbell. A ground out moved Campbell to third base, and he scored on a wild pitch to put the Bulls up 2 to 0. The pitching of Bulls starter Logan Lawson and Oilers starter Joe Devine took hold, and the score remained 2 to 0 for Sikeston until the bottom of the 8th inning -- when the Oilers scored 10 times. Jordan White walked to start the inning. Cody Pack RBI tripled to drive in White. Tyler Choate RBI singled to plate Pack. Haskell Fink singled. Jon Hedges walked to load the bases. John Feltner's RBI walk brought Choate in. Kevin O'Hair's 2-RBI single brought Fink and Hedges across. With Feltner on the move from third base, Jordan Chavis executed a perfect RBI squeeze bunt -- reaching base safely as Feltner scored. Mike Finigan reached on an error that put him on second base and Chavis at third base. White returned to bat and his ground out was the first in the frame. Pack reached on an error that allowed Chavis to score and Finigan to advance to third base. Choate RBI doubled to score Finigan and put Pack at third base. Fink followed with a RBI sacrifice fly to bring Pack home with the 10th run of the inning before a pop out finally retired the Oilers. The Bulls put two men on base in the top of the 9th inning, but Oilers reliever Mark Roberts got the three outs the Oilers needed to win. Owensboro's Patrick Crider threw three scoreless innings for the win, supporting a good start by Devine. Silas Dill took the season-ending loss for Sikeston. The Owensboro Oilers want to congratulate the Sikeston Bulls on their return season to KIT League play

Tuesday, July 28 , 2009

Fulton Railroaders 2, Marion Bobcats 0. The rain held off enough to play 8 1/2 innings for the first game of the Post Season Playoffs in Fulton. The fans were treated to a pitching dual between Fulton's Tyler Farley and Marion's Justin O'Brien. The two starters combined along with Bobcat Nathan Ball in relief for one inning, to strikeout 33 batters total. Farley's numbers were 19 Ks, 2 walks and 2 hits allowed. O'Brien chalked up 13 Ks, walked 6 and gave up 4 hits. Railroader Philip Dean was the difference in the game for Fulton with the game winning RBI, a solo homerun leading off in 3rd inning. In the 5th inning; Dean reached on error, advanced to 2nd on a sacrifice bunt from Justin Witt, then scored off a second Bobcat error. With the loss, the Marion Bobcats end their 2009 Kitty League play. The win sends the Railroaders on to Round 2 of the Post Season Playoffs, where they will face with the Union City Greyhounds in the best of 3 series. The first game in Round 2 is scheduled for play on Wednesday, July 29 in Fulton, and the second game in Union City.