Faribault Lakers Host Red Wing Following Week Off

The Faribault Lakers are back in action Wednesday night at Bell Field when the Red Wing Aces pay a visit.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Faribault dropped a 4-1 game at home to Montgomery before the break a week ago.

The Lakers started the season 8-0, are currently 12-8 after suffering some injuries.

They were 7-0 in May.  Joey Grote and Dylan Valentyn are the only two team members listed on the statistics to play in all 20 games this season.

Blake Langerud and Jack Jandro are tied for the team lead in batting average at .375.  Jandro's average is through 4 games, Langerud has played in 11.

Grote leads the team with 30 hits, 8 doubles, 2 home runs, both of those numbers lead the team.  He is hitting .370, his 16 RBI lead the team.  Grote also leads in runs scored with 18.

Langerud and Nate Rost lead the team in stolen bases with 4 each.  The team has 22 stolen bases in their 20 games played with a .846 stolen base percentage.  Ten Lakers have steals this season.

The team batting average is a healthy .283 with a .371 on base percentage.  Faribault is averaging 9.7 hits a game and 5.7 runs.

The team has 24 errors, turned 9 double plays with a .965 team fielding percentage.

Dylan Valentyn has been the iron man behind the plate catching 156 and 2/3 innings of the 168 and 2/3 innings the team has played.

In games I have watched and by no means has it been a majority of their games Valentyn has had numerous blocks of balls in the dirt and grabs, diving and otherwise that saved pitchers wild pitches and the team in many cases runs.

The catching statistics list the 7 passed balls but no statistic is kept for saves of runs and errant pitches.

If I coached that statistic would definitely be kept.

Nate Rost leads the team in innings pitched with 38.  He has appeared in 8 games, started 4, with a 6-0 record.  He has allowed 28 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned, walked 10, struck out 49 batters .

Nate has an ERA  of 0.474 and left 36 runners on base.  Opponents are hitting .197 off Rost.

Before leaving the team to play independant ball and sign with the Anaheim Angels Jake Petricka threw 8 innings for the Lakers in their first 4 games to keep his arm in shape.

Petricka allowed 7 hits, 4 runs , 2 earned with 2 walks, 18 strikeouts.  His ERA was 2.25.  Opponents hit .226.

Eleven Lakers have pitched so far this season.

Matt Lane suffered a injury ending his pitching duties for the team which magnifies the blessing the Lakers have had with Nate and Nick Rost signing with their hometown team.  On the mound, in the field and at the plate.

Tyler Francis has appeared in the most games (10) with 36 2/3 innings pitched.  He has started 5 games, with a 1-3 record, 47 hits allowed, 18 runs, all earned, 5 walks, 22 strikeouts, 3 hit batters.  Francis ERA is 4.42 with 32 runners left on base.

Egan Bonde has pitched 27 1/3 innings, appeared in 6 games with 4 starts, is 2-1 with 26 hits allowed, 10 runs, 7 earned, 5 walks, 26 strikeouts, a 2.30 ERA, 23 runners left on base.

Opponents have 10 stolen bases in 13 attempts against the Lakers.  The team opponent batting average against Faribault is .256

Red Wing does not have their last couple games results listed on their website but I do know they defeated Dundas Friday by a 12-8 score.  They played Miesville on Sunday.

Results that are listed on the Red Wing page of the MBA indicate they are around .500 on the season.  About 12-11.

The thrill of victory !

Unfortunately there haven't been a lot of great games this year.