The Randall Cubs clinched at least a share of the regular season C Division Title with a 16-5 win in 7 innings over the Flensburg Falcons on Sunday. It was Randall’s 4th straight win. Caleb Strack had a huge day at the plate for Randall, going 3-3 with a pair of Home Runs and a double, amassing 10 total bases and driving in 6 runs. Alex Gwost, who had belted a Grand Slam in Friday’s win at Upsala, homered again on Sunday and Garrett Lindberg also homered to supprt the pitching of Charlie Smieja and Darin Gerads.
The Cubs scored in every inning in this game, starting with a 4-run top of the 1st. Rick Drew made it 1-0 with an rbi single to score Garrett Lindberg, who had been hit by a pitch. Caleb Strack then connected for a 3-run Homer to left, scoring Zach Gwost and Rick Drew in front of him to make it 4-0.
In the top of the 2nd, Alex Gwost ripped a 1-out solo Homer to left to put Randall ahead 5-0.
The Falcons got right back into the game in the bottom of the 2nd when Eli Epling walked, Camden Rasmussen was hit by a pitch from Charlie Smieja, followed by an rbi double from Reece Hubbard to score Epling and make it 5-1. Kurt Crosby then stepped in and laced a line drive Homer over the fence in left for a 3-run shot and suddenly it was 5-4 after 2 innings. The Falcons then reloaded the bases on a walk to Gunner Gustafson, an error and another walk to Seth Becker. But Charlie Smeija got Ben Knopik to pop out to Caleb Strack in center to end the 2nd with Randall leading 5-4.
In the top of the 3rd, the Cubs came right back with their 2nd 4-run inning of the game to go ahead 9-4. They loaded the bases with 1 out on a Rick Drew single, a walk to Caleb Strack and an Adam Nibaur single. Charlie Smieja’s rbi single brought in Drew to make it 6-4, then Kyle Peterschick lined a 2-run double to right to drive in both Strack and Nibaur to make it 8-4. Charlie Smieja then scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-4.
In the top of the 4th, Zach Gwost led off with a double and Rick Drew singled him to 3rd. Caleb Strack then belted his 2nd 3-run Homer of the game to push the Cubs lead to 12-4.
In the top of the 5th, Alex Gwost led off with a single, and then Garrett Lindberg smashed a 2-run Homer to right and it was 14-4.
In the top of the 6th, Randall scored again on an Alex Gwost rbi single that scored Kyle Peterschick to make it 15-4.
Flensburg got an rbi single from Kurt Crosby in the bottom of the 6th to cut the lead to 15-5.
In the top of the 7th, Zach Gwost led off with a double and went to 3rd on a wild pitch. He would score on pinch-hitter Richard Payne’s groundout to make it 16-5.
With the Cubs bringing in Darin Gerads to pitch the 6th and 7th innings, Simon Pantzke and Seth Becker both singled to open the bottom of the 7th, but Gerads held the Falcons off the board with a pop up back to the mound and a pair of strikeouts to finish off the Cubs 16-5 win in 7 innings.
Randall 16 16 1 – 16 7 innings
Flensburg 5 8 2 – 5
WP: Charlie Smieja 5.0 IP 4 runs 5 hits 6k 5bb 1hp
Darin Gerads 2.0 IP 1 run 3 hits 4k 0bb 1hp
LP: Simon Pantzke 3.0 IP 9 runs 8 hits 1k 1bb 1hp
Gunner Gustafson 1.0 IP 3 runs 3 hits 1k 0bb 1hp
Dan Kokett 3.0 IP 4 runs 5 hits 2k 2bb
Cubs:
Alex Gwost 3-5 Hr, 2 rbi, 2 runs
Garrett Lindberg 1-4 Hr, hp, 2 rbi, 2 runs
Zach Gwost 2-5 2B(2), 3 runs
Rick Drew 3-3 rbi, 3 runs
– Braxten Santala 0-1 bb
Caleb Strack 3-3 Hr(2), 2B, bb, 6 rbi, 3 runs
– Richard Payne 0-1 rbi
Brett Strack 1-4
– Dane Peterson 0-1
Adam Nibaur 1-3 run
– Ethan Schultz 0-2
Charlie Smieja 1-2 hp, rbi, run
– Darin Gerads 0-2
Kyle Peterschick 1-3 2B, bb, 2 rbi, run
Falcons:
Reece Hubbard 2-3 2B, hp, 2 sb, rbi, 2 runs
Kurt Crosby 3-3 Hr, bb, 4 rbi, run
Gunner Gustafson 0-2 bb
– C Baum 0-1
Simon Pantzke 1-4 sb
Seth Becker 1-3 bb
Ben Knopik 1-4
Eli Epling 0-2 2bb, run
Dan Kokett 0-4
Camden Rasmussen 0-2 run