Baseball: Eagles send Braves home early

By Robert Williams

April 26, 2012 at 11:21 PM

NEW YORK MILLS -- The New York Mills baseball team continues to mow through opponents. Thursday, the Eagles 10-runned Menahga 15-5 to improve to 7-0 on the season.

The Menahga Braves, (1-7), small-balled their way to an early lead using successful bunt attempts and two seeing-eye singles to right field to build an early 3-0 advantage in the opening inning.

Two Eagle errors made all three runs unearned.

NY Mills answered in the bottom half with three earned runs.

Shane Novak, Adam Patron and Brandon Kupfer all reached base to load up the bags with no outs.

Novak scored on a Maison Roberts fielder's choice; Patron and Roberts scored on a two-RBI single off the bat of Tyler Patron to tie the score.

The Braves scored their only other runs in the second taking a 5-3 lead.

Eagle starter Tyler Patron did not allow a base runner past second base the remainder of the game.

The Eagles bats erupted for six runs in the bottom halves of the second and fourth innings. Five of those 12 runs were unearned due to five Braves' errors, four of which came off the glove of shortstop Stetson Burkman.

Burkman had a rough day in the field, along with second baseman Sean Roth. A crucial mental error gave life to an Eagle offensive push when Burkman threw to Roth for an easy force out at second base. Roth, however, was standing at his position between the bags.

The Eagles took advantage of the breaks and added eight hits to move 15 runners around the bags in only four innings at the plate.

Second baseman Adam Snelgrove launched a two-run homer in the second inning to push the Eagles out in front 9-5.

Snelgrove added a double in a 2-3 day at the plate with two RBI.

Leadoff-hitter Novak had three singles in four attempts, including knocking in Daniel Kraft and Kyle Vorderbruggen in the fourth.

Sam Slieter walked in all three of his attempts, scoring twice. Adam Patron garnered a base on balls in three of his four attempts. He scored three runs.

Roberts and Tyler Patron were 1-4 with two RBI each.

Patron also got the win on the mound pitching five innings, facing 22 batters. Only two of his five runs allowed were earned. He fanned three and walked two.

Both Braves pitchers left New York Mills with inflated ERAs.

Starter Levi Schwartz pitched 3 2/3 innings, facing 25 Eagle batters. He allowed 11 runs, seven earned, on seven hits. He struck out a pair and walked four.

In relief, Bob Lusti pitched 1/3 of an inning, facing seven batters. He walked three. He allowed one hit and four runs. Three runs were earned.

All nine Eagle starters scored in the game.

NY Mills backs up their No. 7 ranking in Class 1A and are the team to beat in both the Park Region Conference and Section 6A-North.

Frazee, (7-1), who the Eagles knocked out of the playoffs last season, is making a charge at the defending champs.

Frazee is receiving votes in the latest 1A polls.

Game notes:

~I got a funny welcome back to my first game since returning to work. While the Eagles were warming up pre-game, a throw went wide of first base, found the small gap in the fence and two-hopped right into my side.

~After making a two-base error in the first inning, Adam Snelgrove dug into the batter's box for his second plate appearance. His father Rick asked Adam from the stands to make Rick proud. Adam belted a two-run shot over the left field fence. That's baseball and that's why it's great.

~NY Mills stranded four runners, one each inning. Menahga stranded four, as well.

Eagles results

Menahga at New York Mills, Thursday, April 26.

MEN 320 00 - 5 7 5

NYM 360 6x - 15 8 3

Menahga

AB R H Bi

Roth 2 2 1 0

Moren 2 1 0 0

Lusti 2 0 1 2

Burkman 3 1 1 1

Schwartz 3 0 2 1