Midwest 4, Beach Bums 2 (Exhibition Game One Final)

Bot 7th New pitcher for Midwest...It's Chris Tierney, formerly of the Southern Illinois Miners...Two innings for Haldis...One hit, a walk, two strikeouts...Reed Welker on deck for the Beach Bums...Kevin Carkeek now playing first base...Brad Miller grounds out to third...Welker pinch hits for Corey Whiting and grounds out to second...Beach Bums down to their final out in the opener...It's Bryan Frew...Frew walks for the second time today on a full-count pitch...Game continues a bit longer...Those two-out walks can come back to hurt...Frew moves to third on an errant pickoff throw...First error of the game for either team...Infield single for Guerrero as he beats out a tough back-handed play at third...Frew scores...Tying run to the plate...Mike Epping strikes out swining for the third time...Game over...MIDWEST 4, BEACH BUMS 2

Top 7th David Hurst is the second of four Frontier League Draft First Round picks who will throw today...Pete McEneaney has already thrown for the Beach Bums while Nick Pepper will go in the second game along with Midwest starter Chris Rollins, who was this year's top overall choice...Ralph Rosas leads off the frame with a single through the left side for Midwest...Gil Zayas walks...Robby Alcombrack throws to second for a close play on a near pickoff attempt, Rosas, a Second Round Frontier League Draft Choice this year, is on the ground in pain...Here comes trainer Andrew Shaver (First mention of the year)...Rosas is favoring his shoulder...Jonas Fester is prepared to enter as a pinch runner though Rosas is trying hard to stay in the game...Nope, he has to leave...Jonnie Knoble attempting to sacrifice but Hurst can't find the zone...Bases loaded as Knoble walks on five pitches...Roger Mason headed to the mound for his first visit of the game, attempting to settle down Hurst, who is behind Roberto Mena 2-0...Mena bounces into a fielder's choice on a 3-1 pitch...Fester scores as Miller gets the force at second...Knoble steals second...Infield in...Sacrifice fly off the bat of Maikel De La Rosa adds to the lead as he flies out to right...Brian Lapin throws home and it is up the line...Dennis Jones grounds out to end the inning...MIDWEST 4, BEACH BUMS 1

Bot 6th Jon Haldis still on the bump for the Sliders...John Alonso grounds out to short...Robby Alcombrack also grounds out to short...Two up, two down...David Hurst making his way in from the bullpen, he will throw the final frame for the Beach Bums...Brian Lapin strikes out looking, the second punch out for Haldis...MIDWEST 2, BEACH BUMS 1

Top 6th Matt Trausch climbs the hill for the Beach Bums...Pete McEneaney went two innings and allowed a hit to go with a strikeout, facing the minimum...Dennis Jones pinch hits for Zack Pace...Jones walks on four pitches...Ben Barrone bats for Sam Deluca...Barrone is also a pitcher who threw yesterday...Jones steals second...Good throw one hops but he is safe...Barrone grounds out to third...Jones waits for the throw to break for third and beats the return from Maunus...He's at third with one out...Infield in for the Beach Bums...RBI single by Jeremy Jones into center gives Midwest a 2-1 lead...Jones caught stealing...Dom Lombardi grounds out to short, ending the inning...MIDWEST 2, BEACH BUMS 1

Bot 5th Jon Haldis, former Beach Bum in 2008, takes to the hill for Midwest...Doug Brooks in four innings allowed a run on two hits while walking two and striking out five...Corey Whiting to lead off...Whiting reaches on a leadoff infield single...He can fly...The shortstop bounced the throw but it wouldn't have beaten him...Corey Whiting was picked off first by Jon Haldis but used his speed to get around the tag of Ralph Rosas at first because the throw from short came too late...Whiting steals second...Safe by a mile...Bryan Frew draws a walk...James Guerrero moves up the runners with a sacrifice bunt...Second and third with one out...Infield moves in for the Sliders...Mike Epping strikes out for the second time today...Two down, infield back to normal depth...Kyle Maunus grounds out to third to end the inning...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 1

Top 5th McEneaney will get a second inning of work for the Beach Bums...He threw just 10 pitches in his 1-2-3 fourth...Jonnie Knoble leads off the inning with a single into left-center on a 3-2 offering...It's just the third hit of the game for the Sliders...Roberto Mena grounds into a 6-4-3 double play...Maikel De La Rosa grounds out to first...McEneaney covers...Another solid inning and a good recovery from the leadoff single...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 1

Bot 4th Doug Brooks still pitching for Midwest but the bullpen is stirring so this is likely his final frame...John Alonso continues to swing a solid bat, hitting a liner towards first that is stabbed on a hop by Jimmy Baker who takes it to the bag for the first out...Robby Alcombrack walks on five pitches...Brian Lapin hits a towering fly to deep left...He got jammed a bit...Jon Haldis, a former Beach Bum, is in the pen for Midwest...Ralph Rosas by the way is now playing first base...Brad Miller strikes out swinging to end the inning...Four left on base...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 1

Top 4th Pete McEneaney coming in out of the bullpen...Great outing by Kevin Reese...Three innings, two hits, one run, one walk, three strikeouts...That was as good as I have seen him look this spring...Dom Lombardi leading off for Midwest...He flies out to deep right-center...Jimmy Baker strikes out looking...Gil Zayas ends the frame with a fly out to right...Good inning by McEneaney in his lone frame today...10 straight retired by Beach Bums pitchers...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 1

Bot 3rd Bryan Frew lines out to second base on the first pitch...James Guerrero hit by a pitch...Got him between the shoulders but he's ok...Mike Epping lifts a shallow pop to left on the first pitch, it gets caught in the wind but Jeremy Jones races in and makes a good sliding grab...Guerrero is definetly ok...Stole second by a mile...Kyle Maunus strikes out swinging...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 1

Top 3rd Zack Pace leads off the inning by flying out to left...Could be a quick inning...Three pitches, two outs as Sam Deluca grounds out to Guerrero at second...Seven straight retired by Reese as Jeremy Jones goes down looking...Eight-pitch inning...The Beach Bums bullpen has started...If that's the end of the contest for Reese it was impressive...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 1

Bot 2nd Kyle Maunus leading off the inning...Maunus rips the first pitch into center for the first hit of the game, nearly taking off Doug Brooks' head in the process...John Alonso, who had both RBI in yesterday's loss, at the plate...Gregg Langbehn coaching at third, J.T. Tamargo at first...Kyle Maunus on the move...Alonso drives the 2-2 pitch deep into the left-center gap to drive in another run...Tie game!! Robby Alcombrack grounds out to third...Alonso forced to hold...One out...Brian Lapin flies out to left...Two down...Brad Miller draws a walk...Wilp pitch moves the runners...Corey Whiting goes down looking at a 2-2 pitch, third strikeout for Brooks...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 1

Top 2nd Jonnie Knoble leading off the inning for the Sliders...He strikes out looking...Roberto Mena strikes out swinging...Maikel De La Rosa grounds out to shortstop...Kyle Maunus makes a beautiful pick of the throw at first...Inning over, and a quick one for Reese...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 0

Bot 1st Bryan Frew leading off against Doug Brooks...Frew strikes out looking on a pitch that drew many groans from the faithful gathered at Wuerfel Park...James Guerrero lines out to second...Mike Epping strikes out swinging to end the inning...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 0

Top 1st Zack Paces flies to deep right...Brian Lapin brings it in for the first out...Sam Deluca has to duck out of the way of a high and tight fastball from Reese...Deluca hits a grounder up the middle...It deflects off the glove of Reese to Brad Miller who's throw to first is late...Infield single...This is a full game, no pitch counted innings...Jeremy Jones draws a walk in a full count...First and second with one out...Dom Lombardi flies out to right...Deluca tags and goes to third...Two outs...Lapin's throw in knicked the glove of Miller, who was trying to cut it off...Jimmy Baker drives in a run with a single through the right side, scoring Deluca...Gil Zayas grounds out to Reese to end the frame...Midwest with the lead...MIDWEST 1, BEACH BUMS 0

UPDATE (12:01 PM): Kevin Reese fires the first pitch of the game to Midwest's Zack Pace...Its right there for a strike...

UPDATE (11:56 AM): National anthem time...Its the Faith Hill rendition...

UPDATE (11:53 AM): Starting lineups are being introduced by the stadium voice of the Beach Bums...Kevin Reese and Doug Brooks are warming up in their respective bullpens...

UPDATE (11:50 AM): Umpires have made their way to the field...I am told these are high school umpires that will be directing these contests...

UPDATE (11:46 AM): I believe I see the sun popping out...

NOTES: Midwest infielder Roberto Mena, who was the mystery #15 yesterday, is another player who was with Beach Bums Manager Gregg Langbehn in Lexington last season...I chatted with some of the players after yesterday's contest and they were all remarking about how improved the Sliders are for this season...All of their pitchers were touching in the 90's and they were very quick and athletic...

Today's exhibition doubleheader is open to the public...I will post some updates here during the first game...During the second game yours truly will be on the stadium PA mike...