Bad enough there was snow on the ground this morning (Saturday), now yours truly is confused by a contradiction in media reporting on the Friday MACA baseball game.
I am not shocked that a contradiction might happen. This is especially likely if you get game info from the coach of both teams. Not sure if this is the explanation today.
It would be a rather big deal to report how "Morris pitchers combine for no-hitter." I might even seize on this for a headline. Well, the West Central Tribune of Willmar began its re-cap with "Brandon Jergenson and Brett Hansen combined for a no-hitter as Morris/Chokio-Alberta beat Pelican Rapids at Morris."
Actually the WC Tribune spelled Jergenson as "Jorgenson." Also, the paper seems to continue as a matter of policy to refer to us as "Morris/Chokio-Alberta" even though we clearly are "Morris Area Chokio Alberta," have been for a long time.
But was this game really a combined no-hitter?
Now let's look at the kmrs-kkok review on the website: "Brandon Jergenson bounced back from a rough first inning to lead Morris Area Chokio Alberta to a 9-2 victory over Pelican Rapids from Chizek Field. Jergenson gave up two runs on a hit and two walks in the first before holding the Vikings hitless over his final 5.2 innings."
So Jergenson gave up a hit in the first. I would give more credence to a Morris media-based review than the Willmar folks. Willmar is owned by Forum Communications which was going to pull the plug on the Morris paper before the Anfinsons came here and rescued it. I gained that info from a credible source in the business.
Combined no-hitter or not, surely it was an up day for our Morris nine. So the score was 9-2 over Pelican Rapids and the success evened our W/L at 2-2.
I'll assume that most of the Willmar reporting is correct. So we see Jergenson - I can spell it right - pitching 6.2 innings and giving up the two runs, earned, while walking five and striking out seven. Hansen notched the other 1/3 of an inning. The MACA line score was nine runs, six hits and one error, while Pelican Rapids posted 2-0-5 numbers.
Both teams showed offensive life in the first inning which ended with the score 3-2, MACA up. We went on to score one run each in the third, fourth and fifth innings. We sealed the deal with a three-run sixth.
Ross Marty had a hit and drew a walk. He scored two runs and drove in one. Jergenson crossed home plate once. Zach Bruns was productive at two-for-four with a run and an RBI. Sam Kleinwolterink worked the pitchers for two walks. Josh Rohloff tossed the bat aside in receiving one walk. Durgin Decker rapped a hit and scored two runs. Dylan Rose had a hit and scored a run. Tristan Raths walked and scored a run. Brendan Hardy walked twice. Riley Reimers had a hit and drove in two runs. Maddix Erickson - first time I've typed that name - had a walk received.
The losing pitcher was Weston Funk. Just two of the six hits he allowed were earned. Obviously errors hurt Pelican Rapids (5). Carson McNeal also pitched.
Missed opportunity for city?
Time will tell if my skepticism about the new softball complex is well-placed. But as I observe the muddy place out there, I also conclude it was a prime opportunity for the City of Morris to maybe establish a new city park.
The area is bounded by the UMM campus and the water treatment plant, the latter being another thing where I have expressed skepticism. Specifically I felt the city completely missed the boat in helping us understand and adapt to the plant. The plant may in fact be a positive thing. It's just that to this very day, I don't know. I made a personal sacrifice when I bought a new softener which the water quality company person said was necessary. To this day the new unit has done nothing. How could I not be upset about that?
Anyway, the space between the plant and UMM might be inviting for a city park with the standard features: playground equipment, a paved basketball court and hey, how about a performance stage? It's probably a better location for a stage than East Side Park, because it's away from residential neighborhoods. Our stage at East Side Park has been so under-used it really is pathetic. And yet I'm sure the city spends money to maintain it.
The city has been out to lunch on so many things. The city made a public statement recently answering the question about when the park bathrooms would be open. Recently the MACA softball teams, varsity and 'B', played games at Wells Park while a large group of boys used the basketball court. If the park restrooms were not open at that time, there's no excuse, just no excuse. I was at the game but I didn't have to use the facilities.
Reminds me of an old Minnesota Twins story. The guys in the press box during a game were observing a news wire update on a Twins game (pre-digital times) and one of them said: "Look, Felton started the game for Minnesota and now they have him relieving himself on the mound." And on that note. . .
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment