2006 Championship Goes To Kasper's
The 2006 MBL Championship at Zirkel Field in front of a crowd exceeding a hundred fans started with a bang as Kasper's exploded in the top of the first inning. Top of the order hitter's for Kasper's Andy Pergande and Mike Landgraf opened with walks and were followed by five hits before the second out was recorded. By the end of the half inning Kasper's had sent twelve batters to the dish and scored eight runs. Leading many to believe a slugfest was about to ensue, in the bottom of the first Johnny V's top three hitters, Dan Marx, Rob Weist and Paul Lennart opened with three consecutive hits to get on the board. Johnny V's posted 2 runs in the inning to give their squad hope for a comeback. However, Kasper's pitcher Todd Eckert settled in, and throwing primarily heat with a breaking ball mixed in, allowed only one more hit the rest of the game. Eckert controlled the strike zone all day by hitting spots inside on fastballs then snapping off breaking balls to get ahead in the count, and pitching to contact against the off balance hitters. On the day he recorded four strikeouts and allowed only four hits. At the plate Eckert went four of five from the eighth spot rounding out a huge balanced attack, which included every starter in the Kasper's line-up getting on base at least once, and six hitters getting multipe hits: Mike Landgraf 3-5, Rich Galenski 3-4, Eric Kraderl 2-5, Tony Landgraf 3-5, headcoach Matt Mundt 3-4 and Eckert 4-5.
With the win, the veteran Kasper's squad captured their second MBL Championship (2003), to go with being the last Champions of the Milwaukee County Open five years ago. Congratulations to Kasper's and erstwhile leader/ catcher/ manager Matt Mundt on your third Championship in five years.
Semi-final Recaps:
Johnny V's 3 over Franklin Barber Plumbing 0
Mike Gramarossa pitched a shutout by limiting Franklin to 6 hits while striking out 6. Mike picked up his second win in the play-offs and run his overall record to 10-0 this season. Lee Kleszczynski had 3 hits and scored twice. Eric Lubarsky had 2 hits and drove in 2 runs.
Kasper's 10 O'Brien's/Milwaukee Harley Davidson 9 (9 innings)
Tony Landgraf's big game pulled Kasper's past perennial power O'Brien's/ Milwaukee HD in extra innings. Landgraf doubled in two runs in the top of the ninth to give Kasper's a narrow lead. O'Brien's/Milwaukee HD's rally in the bottom of the ninth fell a hit short after pulling within one.
FALL LEAGUE
Still room for 12 to 36 players. Full or partial teams welcome.
Sunday afternoons Sept 10 to Oct 1, four weeks.
Sign-up meeting on Thursday Sept 7 @ Long Wongs @ 7pm.
53rd & Blue Mound Road. I'm also going to have lunch at Club Paragon on Hy 100 just north of Beloit Road from 1-2:30 on Wednesday Sept 6, if you'd like to sign up then, stop in.
Teams please bring $150 fee and roster (full or partial). Individuals please bring ID and $15 fee to be assigned a team.
Contact me at kirks@baseballmilwaukee.com ASAP if you have questions, a squad or partial squad.
Baseballs provided. Any rainouts won't be made up. Fee presupposes one rainout. If we get a fourth week that will be free and we'll have a position day. Catchers call balls and strikes. Base coaches call the bases and lines. Free substitution, continuous order.
MSLB and Langs players are invited to play or field a partial or whole team. First six teams registered play.
