Faribault Lakers Baseball

By Kevin Luckow (non member of IBWAA)  On a breezy Sunday in Union Hill (why is it called Union Hill when it's all flat land), the Union Hill Bulldogs defeated the Faribault Lakers 11-0 in the DRS Baseball season opener for Faribault.  With the wind blowing either straight in, or towards first base, it would seem like the cozy dimensions of Giesen Field would be neutralized. It looked like it was going to play that way as neither team were able to get on the board the first two innings. But the Bulldogs broke the deadlock in the third inning. After Joe Becker singled and Eric Berg doubled, a Conrad Masberg sacrifice fly scored the first run of the game. Two batters later Jack Giesen singled to drive in a second run.  The Lakers seemed to have avoided further damage but a high infield fly by Thomas Lee got up in the wind and a diving attempt by Joe Grote to catch the ball in front of the mound bounded off his glove allowing a run to score from third. Giesen hustled all the...

In a  season that we knew was going to be challenging with the Lakers going through a youth movement, then was made even more challenging as the Lakers were deemed to be a Class A team, the challenges kept mounting, right into the playoffs. Through it all the Lakers never outwardly complained and gave it their all, right till the end in a two run loss to Class A powerhouse New Market.  Faribault jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the strength of a Tucker Alstead 2nd inning run scoring double. Followed in the 3rd with an RBI groundnut by Aiden Tobin. The Muskies though hit paydirt in their half of the inning. An infield single and a bad hop single set the stage for an estimated 290 foot home run by Connor Weed to put the Muskies up 3-2. A Pick Three of errors with two outs and a Dylan O'Neil RBI single gave Faribault the lead back in the fourth, 4-3. A missed throw at first base and a two run single by Ben Glad gave the lead back to the Musikes in their half of the fourth. The Lakers ...

In a game with several twist and turns, it was a throwing error on a bunt attempt in the last of the ninth that walked off the Lakers on Thursday night in Hastings.  The Hawks got on the board first in the second inning as Johnny Tegland walked with one out and scored on the front end of a two run home run by Cooper DeSutter. In the Lakers fifth, they got on the board without a benefit of a hit. Two Lakers batters reached on walks. Tucker Alstead grounded to shortstop, but a throwing error on the relay to first allowed a run to score. Zander Fitzsimmons followed with the first Lakers hit of the night but Alstead was thrown out trying to reach third base.  Hastings regained their two run lead in the last of the fifth on a Jack Seleski RBI single. Griffin Teodoro grounded into a double play to short circuit the rally. The Press Box chose to play Three Blind Mice. I don't care what level of baseball you're at, you don't play that song to show up the umpires. Just call it one o...

After a rough night across the border in River Falls, the Lakers were right back in action on Thursday night at Bell Field in DRS League action. With a thin roster, it didn't matter as the Lakers avenged a walk off loss to Lonsdale by defeating the Aces 9-3.  Faribault got on the board first. Zander Fitzsimmons reached on a throwing error, Aiden Tobin followed with an RBI single before Jack Jandro connected on a two run home run to give the Lakers a 3-0 lead.  It remained a 3-0 game until the sixth when Lonsdale struck back. Marty Kalina worked a lead off walk, followed by an infield single by Teagan Mellgren. With two runners in scoring position, Jack Skluzacek singled to drive in a pair of runs.  In the Aces' seventh, three straight hits with one out loaded the bases before Skluzacek drew a two out bases loaded walk to tie the game.  The Lakers took back the lead in their half of the seventh. Dylan O'Neil and Tobin singled with one out. Austin Rendler grounded to s...

Game Story: My Mother said if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Jamie's Deliverymen of the Game 1. Dylan O'Neil. O'Neil had a perfect night at the plate going 3-3 2. Austin Rendler. Rendler had two hits, threw well in relief and in a lopsided game went for a foul ball, collided with the wall and stayed in the game. 3. Lakers Fans. Kudos to the Laker fans that made the 1 hour 20 trip each way to attend the game. Next: Lonsdale at Bell Field Friday at 7:30

Just like in life, timing is everything. The Lakers and Rochester Roadrunners decided to participate in an exhibition game following a VFW game between Faribault and Rochester. That game featured four runs scored by each team in the seventh inning to make Faribault walkoff winners. It also caused the Lakers game to start after 8 pm. Unfortunately the teams could only get through four innings not making it an official game, although it was a non league game that carried no weight in standings or rankings.  The Lakers got on the board first. After singles by Zander Fitzsimmons and Dylan O'Neil and a walk by Drew Conrad loaded the bases, Mason Conrad came through with an opposite field single to left to score a pair of runs. In the Lakers second inning, with one out, Jack Jandro tripled to shallow right field, let that marinate. Jandro scored on an infield single by Fitzsimmons. O'Neil followed with a single to put runners on the corners. The Lakers executed a double steal to scor...