Monday, April 24, 2017

SLP Orioles Edge Armstrong Falcons

The St. Louis Park Orioles began the first of a busy four game week on a high note when Conner Cornell's bases loaded ground out scored Luke Mobley in the bottom of the sixth to lead them to a 4-3 win over the Armstrong Falcons Monday night at Derrick Keller Field.

The Orioles began the scoring with two outs in the bottom of the first on Riley Dvorak's RBI double that scored Cornell and Dvorak would come across on Julien Shadle's RBI single.  They would come up big on defense in the top of the inning after an appeal that the Falcons leadoff batter Al Proctor left second base early to go to third and the base umpire Kyle Pieri ruled that he did jump the gun on the base so he was called out.

Better news would come for Armstrong in the top of the third when Proctor led off with a single and Braydon Gray lofted a two run home over the right field fence to tie the game.  St. Louis Park would bounce back in their half of the inning as Cornell would score his second run of the game on a bases loaded wild pitch from Jered Kuznia.

The Falcons would even the score at three in the top of the fifth when they would load the bases with two men out.  Dawson Dee walked, followed by a single from Mark Malik and Oriole starting pitcher Luke Boyum gave up another walk, this time to Nate Pertula.  Head coach Brian Kelly came out to get the ball from Boyum and bring in Dvorak to try and stop the bleeding.  He didn't on the first batter he faced, Eric Goldman as he walked him with the bases loaded.  Things would get better when he retired Mitchell Waletzki to end a potential rally.

Dvorak would come up big on defense in the top of the sixth with Proctor on second and Michael O'Malley on third.  a potential squeeze bunt to the Oriole pitcher would be foiled when Dvorak threw out O'Malley at the plate.  St. Louis Park would score the game winning run in the bottom of the inning that started with singles by Mobley and pinch hitter Zach Listiak.  Brent Ryan, who batted for catcher Sam Hunt would walk to load the bases and Cornell would ground out to second baseman Preston Reed to give the Orioles the lead.

The lead would hold up in the top of the seventh when Dee led off with a single but that was all the Falcons could do since Dvorak would retire the next three batters to pick up the first home win of the season.

St. Louis Park improved their record to 2-4 and hosts the Chanhassen Storm on Tuesday, April 25 at 7 PM at Derrick Keller Field.  Armstrong fell to 3-3 and will also be in action on the 25th hosting the Totino-Grace Eagles at 4:30 PM.


No comments:

Post a Comment