Vol 1.7 August 08, 2015 BLAINE AREA TRAVELING

ASSOCIATION (BATBA)

Weekly Newsletter

MEET OUR COACHES Highlights/Team updates for our 10U /11U 12Uteams

10AAA Blaine - Jim Conlee, 10AA Blaine - Tim Sukalski 10U SLP - Jerome Balsimo 10U AA SLP Panthers - 11AAA Blaine - Matt Westlund Jerome Balsimo 11AA Blaine - Barry Perreault

11U SLP - Scott Sonmore End of the Season Recap

15-1 league record 12AAA Blaine - Jason Vogel, 12AA Blaine - Dean Zahratka, 3-0 playoffs -- playoff champions 12U SLP - Justin Kehner

13AAA Blaine - Mike Nelson, 13AA Blaine - Bill Folstrom, 13U SLP - Jim Schonrock, 10U AA – Blaine – Tim Sukalski 14AAA Blaine - Eric Pardo, 14AA Blaine Blue - Brent The 10UAA squad finished the season with a record of 12-20, finishing 8-8 in league Messerschmidt, play. We went 1-2 in the GSTC and received the last seed in the Tier I play-off. We played 14AA Blaine White - Eric Potthoff the #2 ranked 10UAA overall team, Buffalo in the first game. We held an early lead but 14U SLP - Kary McMahon fell behind 12-4 going into our last at bat. I met with our team to encourage each one of them as they came to the plate to be a even tougher out than ever before. Before we 15AAA Blaine - Al Gottschalk, knew it, the score was 12-10 and we had the tying and go a head run on. Although in the 15AA Blaine – Art Shackle 15AA SLP – Jeff Dainty end we came up short to a very good team, this type of resiliency defined our team all year. We once over came a 16-7 deficit to win a game 24-17 scoring 12 runs in one inning. It was a pleasure to coach these boys who honestly all improved their skills, had

fun and want to all try out again.

11U AA SLP Panthers– Scott Sonmore

The Spring Lake Park 11u team finished the season with a 36-8 overall record. They finished first in the 11AA East division with a 16-0 record. The Panthers captured 2 regular season tournament championships and also place 2nd and 4th in other tournaments. They capped of the season by winning the MYAS Tier 1 league playoff championship.

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BLAINE AREA TRAVELING BASEBALL ASSOCIATION Weekly Newsletter (BATBA)

Highlights/Team updates for 10U/ 11U/12U teams MEET OUR COACHES 11AA Blaine - Barry Perreault The 11aa competed very well this year. The boys played in both state tournaments 10AAA Blaine - Jim Conlee, and competed vs the top teams 10AA Blaine - Tim Sukalski

10U SLP - Jerome Balsimo Some highlights for the year were a team outing to twins game, pool parties, playing in 11AAA Blaine - Matt Westlund Brainerd tournament, finishing tied for first in league play. 11AA Blaine - Barry Perreault 11U SLP - Scott Sonmore A much improved group of baseball players

A successful season! 12AAA Blaine - Jason Vogel, 12AA Blaine - Dean Zahratka, Season Record in League Play: 13-3 12U SLP - Justin Kehner Overall Tournament Record: 13-10 13AAA Blaine - Mike Nelson, League Playoffs: 1-1 13AA Blaine - Bill Folstrom, Submitted By: Barry Perreault 13U SLP - Jim Schonrock, 11U AAA – Matt Westlund

14AAA Blaine - Eric Pardo, The 11UAAA finished the season with an overall record of 36-12, going 15-1 in league with 14AA Blaine Blue - Brent a +148 point differential eventually losing out to the 1st place Rogers team in the semi- Messerschmidt, finals of league playoffs. 8 out of the 12 loses were by a combined 12 runs. The team 14AA Blaine White - Eric Potthoff 14U SLP - Kary McMahon finished 1st place in the Brooklyn Park Invite, 1st place in Brainerd, 2nd place in the the Blaine invitational. Overall, the team didn't finish on the high note that they did in the 15AAA Blaine - Al Gottschalk, previous year, but these kids had a great season, a lot of fun, and a lot of success, 15AA Blaine – Art Shackle including a combined against Monticello in the GSTC. This team is made up 15AA SLP – Jeff Dainty a great group of kids that play to win the game and give their best everytime they step on

the field. Congratulations 11AAA, the coaches, parents, and community is very proud of your dedication and passion for the game of baseball. Submitted by – Matt Westlund This week in Baseball History

First Week in August

On Aug. 1, 1972, Nate Colbert of the set a Major League record by driving in 12 runs during a doubleheader sweep of the . The slugging first baseman broke the record of 11 RBIs in a twinbill -- a mark shared by Earl Averill of the , Jim Tabor of the and Boog Powell of the Baltimore Orioles. The 26-year-old Colbert also set a record with 22 total bases and tied a Major League record by clubbing five home runs in the twinbill. As Colbert rounded the bases after hitting his fifth against the Braves, he commented to Bruce Froemming: "I don't believe it." Froemming responded in agreement, "I don't either." Colbert, whose lifted his seasonal home run total to 27, would finish the year with a career-high 38 home runs and 111 RBIs. In a remarkable coincidence, Colbert had attended the May 2, 1954, game at Sportsman's Park, when Hall of Famer Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals also five home runs in a doubleheader. "Stan the Man," a 1969 Cooperstown inductee, wore the spikes pictured here during his career with the Cardinals.

BLAINE AREA TRAVELING B ASEBALL ASSOCIATION (BATBA) Weekly Newsletter

MEET OUR COACHES Highlights/Team updates for 10U/ 11U/12U teams

10AAA Blaine - Jim Conlee,

10AA Blaine - Tim Sukalski 12AAA Blaine - Jason Vogel 10U SLP - Jerome Balsimo The 12AAA Blaine team got things started at GSTC w ith a w in over eventual Consolation Champions, Cottage Grove, in a 8-4 w in. Bryce Stone pitched 3 innings allow ing just one run w hile 11AAA Blaine - Matt Westlund Ben Wallraff had a great game and w eekend behind the dish, catching most innings in the tourney. 11AA Blaine - Barry Perreault 11U SLP - Scott Sonmore Pool Game tw o w as a nail biter, as St.Croix had the tying run on third in the bottom of the 6th, but

, David Bushnell came up w ith a huge play ending the game in a dramatic fashion. Tanner 12AAA Blaine - Jason Vogel, Vogel and Connor Schusted pitched w ell for the Bengals in this one. 12AA Blaine - Dean Zahratka, 12U SLP - Justin Kehner The third pool game w as against division rival Forest Lake, w ith Blaine needing a w in or tie to advance to Championship bracket. It w as a back and forth battle all the w ay. Each team had a 13AAA Blaine - Mike Nelson, player go yard over the 275 foot fences (Alex Stephens for Blaine). Stephens also pitched w ell in 13AA Blaine - Bill Folstrom, the game. Gio Santiago tied the game up w ith and RBI in 5th, prior to the Rangers taking the lead 13U SLP - Jim Schonrock, in the top of the 6th. Ethan Larsen came through w ith an RBI to tie it again in the 6th, w hich is how the game w ould end. Joey Ritzema led the team w ith three hits. 12AAA Blaine w on the pool and advanced to the GSTC Championship Bracket. 14AAA Blaine - Eric Pardo,

14AA Blaine Blue - Brent Sunday morning, Blaine got it going early scoring tw o off of Orono's ace w ho'd previously shut down Messerschmidt, the Bengals in previous contests. Joey Reinarts pitched tw o great innings w ith help from Tyler 14AA Blaine White - Eric Potthoff Vogel, w ho made tw o magnificent plays early and had a strong game at the plate. Unfortunately, 14U SLP - Kary McMahon Orono overcame the early deficit and w on the close, w ell played game.

15AAA Blaine - Al Gottschalk, Regular Season 13-2-1 15AA Blaine – Art Shackle Playoffs 0-1-0 15AA SLP – Jeff Dainty Tourneys 17-8-1 Overall 30-10-2 Submitted by: Jason Vogel

Thank You to all the coaches and assistant coaches and team managers who made this season what it was!