| Legion drops two but rallies against Milaca |
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By Chris Schafer After a tough start to the season, there are signs of improvement for the Princeton Legion team. The upward slide started at the bottom with a 12-2 loss to Chisago Lakes June 23. The next day the Legion team faced Coon Rapids and even though Princeton lost 12-4, coach Troy Kinney said he saw some positive things. Kinney was especially pleased that his team was finally starting to hit the ball. The improvement continued into the next day when Princeton bested rival Milaca by a score of 4-3. Milaca had a 6-2 season record coming into the contest. This week the team has another three-game stretch. Princeton faced Chisago Lakes again June 30. The team then faces Elk River July 1 and North Branch July 2 in a pair of home contests. Chisago Lakes For Princeton it was the terrible trio as the Legion team fell to Chisago Lakes 12-2 in five innings June 23. A combination of tough pitching by Chisago Lakes and poor hitting by Princeton led to only two hits for the local team. And defensively Princeton couldn’t keep the game close as the fielders combined for six errors in the game. Chisago Lakes started early as they sent eight batters to the plate in the first inning and scored four runs, thanks, in part, to three consecutive doubles. Princeton scored once in the first inning when Kyle Norman reached base on a walk and scored on a single by Nick Shodeen.
The Legion team scored again in the fifth after Miodus walked and then advanced to score on a couple of errors. A close game became a blowout after Coon Rapids scored eight runs in the fourth inning to defeat Princeton 12-4 June 24. Princeton had put down six consecutive hitters before Coon Rapids scored four times in the third. At that point Princeton trailed 4-1. But the game became out of reach in the fourth as 10 of the first 11 batters reached base, one was hit by a pitch, another reached on an error. In a better hitting performance Princeton recorded six hits and scored four times.
After Coon Rapids went on its run Princeton scored twice in the fourth, including a home run by Domenic Fraboni. But the local Legion team was only able to score once more in the final five innings. Brent Miodus’ home run in the first inning put Princeton on the right track but the Legion team needed a three-run sixth-inning rally to defeat Milaca 4-3 June 25. Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Princeton’s first four batters reached base. Miodus got things started with a lead-off single and Shodeen was hit by a pitch on the next at-bat. A single by Mike Culligan brought Miodus home for his second run of the game. Another single and a sacrifice fly brought home the final two runs. Kinney was pleased with the outcome, calling it a “good win,” especially against a Milaca pitcher that saw some time on a college mound this year. Milaca was 6-2 coming into the contest. Miodus pitched a complete game for Princeton. He spread five hits over seven innings of work while striking out eight and only walking one. Comments (0)
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