Nine innings were not enough for the Battle Creek Bombers and the Green Bay Bullfrogs on Monday night in Green Bay. A line drive down the right field by Parker Berberet in the top of the 11th inning set up a play at the plate for the go-ahead run, which was called safe on a call that Green Bay coach Elliott Strankman would end up being ejected for after arguing. Battle Creek would end up winning 3 to 2 in 11 innings.

Check back sometime tomorrow (Tuesday, July 1st) for playoff scenarios regarding the final three days of the first-half of the Northwoods League schedule. We’ve got two good races going!

Monday June 30th the Waterloo Bucks and Rochester Honkers were scheduled to play at 7:05 PM at Riverfront Stadium. As I wrote yesterday we knew that wasn’t going to happen. We’ve now learned that the game will be played that afternoon at 1:05 PM at Waterloo West High School, the same location as their series against Thunder Bay on June 19-20. We’ll know sometime on Monday whether the Bucks will be able to resume their home schedule at Riverfront Stadium on July 2nd.

All-Star 

We’re approaching Northwoods League All-Star time. Teams are currently in the process of nominating players from their team to be placed on the All-Star Ballot. The ballots will go out to team and media representatives next week and the 2008 All-Star teams should be announced on July 8th or 9th. The game will be played at Warner Park in Madison, Wisconsin on Monday, July 14th at 7:05 PM Central.

My Travels

You might not see blog posts from me over the weekend. I’ll be heading to the St. Cloud River Bats game against the Mankato MoonDogs tonight in St. Cloud. Tomorrow I’m going to fill in for Andrew Tichy once again on the Alexandria Beetles webcast for at least part of the game. If you’re a loyal reader of this blog you’ll know that he and I are both from a small town near Alexandria called Browerville. The big “Browerville Days” festival is happening this weekend and he has an important role in an event on Saturday that will force him to miss the beginning of the game in Alexandria. I also will be heading home for some of the events. Since broadcasting and Alexandria are 100% the reasons that I’m working in the Northwoods League I’m always happy to help out.

Over the weekend I hope to find enough time to finish editing some of the other video we shot around the League in the last 10 days. Look for some of that to be posted next week.

Curt Carstensen
Director of Operations
Northwoods League

The Duluth Huskies last night drew their fifth largest crowd in franchise history when 3,239 showed up to Wade Stadium. It was “Fresh Air Night” presented by the American Lung Association. The Huskies lost to the La Crosse Loggers 12-3.

A pair of Madison Mallards are members of the 2008 National Champion Fresno State Bulldogs. Alan Ahmady and Trent Soares are expected to join the Mallards soon. Ahmady had a great postseason to conclude a breakout 2008 campaign, going 17-for-48 (.354) in Fresno State’s 13 postseason games. He drove in 12 runs and scored 10 more. In 2008 Ahmady hit .386 and drove in 92 runs, a total that was good for second in the NCAA.

The Waterloo Bucks hope to return to Riverfront Stadium for their series beginning July 2nd against the Wisconsin Woodchucks. They’ll learn Monday, June 30th whether this will happen. That day the city of Waterloo will restore power to Riverfront Stadium for the first time since the flooding. If this causes no major, unforseen problems, the Bucks will resume play at home as scheduled beginning July 2nd. The Bucks have a scheduled home game for Monday, June 30th against the Rochester Honkers. This game is likely to be played at a local high school field like two other games were earlier this month. 

Tonight at Athletic Park in Wausau is Jim Gantner Bobblehead Night. The longtime Milwaukee Brewers player is in his second year as Field Manager of the Wisconsin Woodchucks. 

Tomorrow will be a special night at the “Duck Pond” in Madison as it will be Concordia University “Happy Days” Night. Hop back to the 1950s at the ballpark, featuring a special appearance by “Potsie” (Anson Williams)! Come out early for a chance to meet the legendary character and get a free autograph and picture.

Please note a game time that may be misprinted in some locations. Saturday’s game in Madison between the Mallards and Bullfrogs starts at 5:05 PM Central.

On a beautiful Tuesday night in Eau Claire, Mankato’s Carlos Ramirez belted his 5th home run of the summer and led the Moondogs to an 8 to 1 victory over the Eau Claire Express. Mankato’s newest pitcher, Brendan Lafferty (UCLA) got the start and struck out 12 while going 6 innings and only giving up 1 hit.

A few NWL alumni re-joined active Major League rosters yesterday.

Former Austin Southern Minny Stars OF Josh Willingham was activated from the disabled list by the Florida Marlins. He’d been out of action for nearly two months with a lower back strain.

Former Alexandria Beetles RHP Carlos Muniz got another callup by the New York Mets. Claudio Vargas was designated for assignment after allowing four runs in the sixth inning of last night’s lopsided 11-0 defeat to the Seattle Mariners. That opens the door for Muniz who’s up for the third time this season.

Former Wisconsin Woodchucks SS Ben Zobrist has been recalled by the Tampa Bay Rays for what could turn out to be a short-term fix. Tampa Bay’s everyday shortstop Jason Bartlett is leaving the team for a couple days to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. Meanwhile, Tampa’s second baseman Akinori Iwamura is about to serve a three-game suspension. Zobrist is expected to see time at both shortstop and second base during the other players’ absence.

Former Kenosha Kroakers and Waterloo Bucks INF Clint Barmes was activated from the disabled list on Sunday by the Colorado Rockies. He’d done an admirable job for about a month filling in for injured Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki before injuring himself near the end of May. Barmes missed one month with a sprained knee. Both players have returned to the lineup so Barmes will compete for time at second base with Jeff Baker. Barmes leads the Rockies in hitting with a .338 batting average.

Former La Crosse Loggers RHP Max Scherzer was demoted to Triple-A about ten days ago. Soon thereafter he was placed on the minor league disabled list with a sore right shoulder.

Former Waterloo Bucks C Curtis Thigpen was demoted to Triple-A about ten day ago when starting C Greg Zaun returned to health. In limited action, Thigpen went 1-for-6.

A very rare occurence is happening today in the Northwoods League with no games being played. Usually this happens the day before and day after the NWL All-Star Game and that’s about it. When the League creates the schedule there are a few league-wide off days but the teams are allowed to make minor adjustments to the schedule that tend to usually involve a game or two being moved to a day that most teams have off. That was to be the case today with Rochester playing at Waterloo, but with the Bucks current inability to play in their home ballpark that game was moved to tomorrow. Rochester was already scheduled to host Waterloo at 1:05 PM Central tomorrow. Now in addition to that the teams will play a 7:05 PM game as a part of a day/night doubleheader.

Video

Hopefully many of you were able to check out the recent videos added to northwoodsleague.tv. More will be added in the coming days and weeks and I’ll be sure to always make a note of it on the blog.

There a few technical problems that I’m trying to fix. The video is being cut off abruptly before the interview is over. It also seems like the audio is a split-second off from matching the video. These are problems I am aware of and hope to correct soon.

Curt Carstensen
Director of Operations
Northwoods League

In Green Bay, Wisconsin with Bullfrogs General Manager Mike Then.

http://www.northwoodsleague.tv/Video.aspx?id=Video

Check out the new video interview with Waterloo Bucks Field Manager Pete Lauritson on NorthwoodsLeague.tv.

http://www.northwoodsleague.tv/Video.aspx?id=Video

La Crosse Loggers LHP Aaron Dott (Wisconsin-Whitewater) pitched a no-hitter today in a 6-1 win against the Green Bay Bullfrogs at Joannes Stadium in Green Bay. Below is the post-game press release from the Green Bay Bullfrogs.

Dott No-Hits Bullfrogs Today at Joannes Stadium Aaron Dott (UW-Whitewater) threw a no-hitter in La Crosse’s 6-1 victory over the Green Bay Bullfrogs.La Crosse scored two runs in the first inning to take the early lead. The first run scored on a Cory Vaughn (San Diego State) single that scored Justin Toole (Iowa), who singled earlier in the inning.  Then Steve Tinoco (Long Beach State) drew a bases loaded walk to score Vaughn for their second run of the inning.  They added four runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-1 lead.The Bullfrogs answered with one run in the bottom of the first inning.  Josh Price (Tulane) started the inning with a walk.  He was then sacrificed to second by Dwight Tanaka (Cal).  Price then scored from second on a Dott wild pitch.  That was the Bullfrogs first and only run of the game.Aaron Dott started on the mound for the Loggers.  Dott threw all nine inning while giving up only one run on no hits.  Dott struck out four and walked seven Bullfrogs.For the Bullfrogs Jon Gulbransen (Valparaiso) got the start on the hill.  Gulbransen lasted only three and one third innings before being relieved by Jason Dovel (Cal State Fullerton).  Gulbransen gave up five runs on six hits. Offensively the Loggers were led by Randy Rundgren (Sacramento CC).  Rundgren went 3-5 and scored one run.The Bullfrogs are in action again on Thursday at Joannes Stadium where it is Bobblehead Night.  The first 500 fans will receive a free Jeremiah Bobblehead.  Game time is 7:05 P.M.