River City Rascals - Independent Professional Baseball

SAME MISTAKES COST RASCALS THE SWEEP

Loves Park, IL -- Different night, but unfortunately the same song played out at Road Ranger Stadium as two errors and a lack of production with runners in scoring position doomed the River City Rascals to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Rockford RiverHawks.

The win completed a sweep for the RiverHawks to open the 2008 Frontier League regular season.

All of the scoring took place in the bottom of the fifth inning when Rockford leadoff man Joe Anthenson reached on an error by Rascals third baseman Chris Raniere. After a sacrifice bunt moved Anthenson to second, James James hit a grounder to second which was bobbled by Jacob DeBoer. Runners were now at the corners for Chris Raber with one out. Raber would single home Anthenson on a perfectly executed hit-and-run to make it 1-0. James took third base on the play and would score one batter later when Brett Thomas singled him in.

The 2-0 lead was more than enough for the Rockford bullpen as they picked up where the starter James left off. The bullpen was able to strand Rascal baserunners in sixth, seventh and eighth innings. The Rascals left the bases loaded in the eighth.

Mike Marksbury earned his 27th career save and first of the season with a perfect ninth. He is now the Frontier League’s active saves leader. James (1-0) got the win in his first professional start going five innings and allowing three hits, three walks and no runs while striking out three. Danny Powers (0-1) suffered the loss going 4.1 innings. Both runs were unearned off Powers as the Rascals gave up 15 unearned runs for the series.

The Rascals left a total of 10 men on base and went 0-7 with men in scoring position Friday night.

The Rascals (0-3) go home for the first time Saturday night at T.R. Hughes Ballpark to take on the Gateway Grizzlies (1-2) at 7:05 p.m. Righthander David Arnold will toe the rubber and be matched up against Grizzlie righthander Derek Blacksher. Tickets for the opening series can be purchased by calling 636.240.BATS or online at rivercityrascals.com.

5/23/08
River City 0, Rockford 2

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
River City	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2
Rockford	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	X	2	8	0

River City	POS	AB	R	H	RBI	AVG
J. Deboer	2B	3	0	1	0	.500
B. Hough	CF	3	0	0	0	.273
P. Laurent	RF	4	0	0	0	.000
B. Mosby	1B	2	0	1	0	.333
L. Barganier	PR/CF	0	0	0	0	.000
J. Miller	LF	3	0	0	0	.000
C. Raniere	1B/3B	4	0	0	0	.000
A. Sweet	CAT	4	0	1	0	.300
A. Bettis	DH	2	0	0	0	.000
R. Rosa	PH	1	0	0	0	.000
G. Stone	SS	4	0	1	0	.167
D. Powers	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
Fogelson	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
G. Lee	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
A. Carrasco	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
TOTALS		30	0	4	0

Rockford	POS	AB	R	H	RBI	AVG
J. Anthonsen	2B	4	1	1	0	.250
J. Brooks	SS	3	0	0	0	.200
J. James	PIT/LF	4	1	0	0	.154
C. Raber	1B	4	0	3	1	.500
M. Enderle	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
R. Bringelson	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
M. Marksbury	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
B. Thomas	3B	4	0	1	1	.400
M. Mazurek	RF	3	0	2	0	.400
M. Borman	LF	1	0	0	0	.333
C. Stang	PH	1	0	0	0	.000
R. Brnardic	PIT	0	0	0	0	.000
R. McArdle	1B	1	0	0	0	.000
B. Meier	CAT	3	0	1	0	.333
S. Pickerell	CAT	0	0	0	0	.000
R. Kowalski	CF	4	0	0	0	.182
TOTALS		32	2	8	2

E--J.Deboer, C.Raniere. DP--RIVER CITY 1, ROCKFORD 1. LOB--RIVER CITY 10, ROCKFORD 10. SB--J.Deboer (1), M.Mazurek (1). HBP--B.Meier. SH-- J.Brooks.

River City	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
D. Powers (L, 0-1)	4.1	6	2	0	1	3	0	0.00
Fogelson	0.1	0	0	0	1	1	0	0.00
G. Lee	2.1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
A. Carrasco	1.0	2	0	0	0	1	0	10.80

Rockford	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
J. James (W,1-0)	5.0	3	0	0	3	3	0	0.00
R. Brnardic	2.0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0.00
M. Enderle	0.1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0.00
R. Bringelson	0.2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0.00
M. Marksbury (S,1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	16.20

HB--D.Powers. SO--J.Deboer, B.Hough, C.Raniere, A.Bettis, J.Brooks, J.James, B.Thomas, C.Stang, R.McArdle, B.Meier. BB--J.Deboer 2, B.Hough, B.Mosby 2, J.Miller, A.Bettis, M.Mazurek, M.Borman.

Time: 3:00, Attendance: 2,569