And we're back.  This is, obviously, going to be a long post, but it's the first time I've had the time to do some write-ups.

ST. PAUL SAINTS

Tuesday

OMAHA 8, ST. PAUL 2 IN OMAHA

The Storm Chasers scored four in the second to take a 5-0 lead and eventually led 8-0 before the Saints scored two in the seventh.

Batting stars:  Ryan Jeffers was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer.  Zander Weil was 2-for-4.

Pitching star:  Andrew Vasquez struck out three in two perfect innings.

Opposition stars:  Edward Olivares was 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple, two runs, and three RBIs.  Jackson Kowar struck out nine in 5.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks.

Saints starter Andrew Albers pitched four innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits and no walks and striking out six.

Wednesday

ST. PAUL 10, OMAHA 4 IN OMAHA

The Saints scored three in the second to take a 4-2 lead and put it out of reach with four in the fourth.

Batting stars:  Rob Refsnyder was 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and two RBIs.  J. T. Riddle was 2-for-4 with two runs.  Tomas Telis was 2-for-4 with two runs.  Trevor Larnach was 2-for-5 with a three-run homer and two runs.  Brent Rooker was 2-for-5 with a home run.

Pitching stars:  Juan Minaya struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up a walk.  Shaun Anderson pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk.  Ian Gibaut struck out three in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Edward Olivares was 3-for-3 with a walk.  Jace Vines pitched two perfect innings and struck out one.

Saints starter Charlie Barnes pitched five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and no walks and striking out two.

Thursday

OMAHA 4, ST. PAUL 3 IN OMAHA (11 INNINGS)

It was 2-2 after nine.  Each team scored one in the tenth, but the Storm Chasers scored in the eleventh and the Saints did not.

Batting stars:  Tomas Telis was 2-for-5.  Keon Broxton was 2-for-5.  Rob Refsnyder was 2-for-6 with a home run, his second.  Trevor Larnach was 2-for-5 with a home run (his second), a walk, and two runs.

Pitching stars:  Randy Dobnak struck out five in four innings, giving up two hits and no walks.  Derek Law struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk.  Ian Hamilton pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and a walk and striking out one.

Opposition stars:  Edward Olivares was 2-for-4 with a walk.  Anderson Miller was 2-for-5 with a home run.  Scott Blewett struck out eight in five innings, giving up two runs on six hits and three walks.

WICHITA WIND SURGE

Tuesday

WICHITA 2, SPRINGFIELD 0 IN SPRINGFIELD

The Wind Surge scored both of their runs in the eighth inning.

Batting stars:  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-4.  Mark Contreras was 1-for-2 with two walks.

Pitching stars:  Josh Winder struck out six in 4.2 scoreless innings, giving up five hits and a walk.  Jovani Moran retired all four men he faced, striking out three.  Tom Hackimer struck out three in two shutout innings, giving up two hits.  Yennier Cano struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Nick Plummer was 2-for-3.  Delvin Perez was 2-for-4.  Domingo Robles struck out five in five shutout innings, giving up three hits and two walks.

Wednesday

WICHITA 5, SPRINGFIELD 4 IN SPRINGFIELD

Trailing 4-3, the Wind Surge scored two in the seventh.  Aaron Whitefield tripled home the tying run and scored on a wild pitch to give Wichita the lead.

Batting stars:  Whitefield was 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk, and two runs.  Ernie De La Trinidad was 2-for-4 with a walk.  Jose Miranda was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and a walk.

Pitching stars:  Hector Lujan struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and two walks.  Ryan Mason retired all four men he faced, striking out three.

Opposition stars:  Juan Yepez was 2-for-3.

Thursday

SPRINGFIELD 7, WICHITA 6 IN SPRINGFIELD

Each team scored five in the seventh, leaving the score 6-5 Cardinals.  Damek Tomscha doubled home a run to tie it in the top of the eighth, but Juan Yepez homered in the bottom of the eighth to put Springfield back in front.

Batting stars:  Caleb Hamilton was 3-for-4 with two doubles.  Aaron Whitefield was 2-for-4 with a grand slam and a walk.

Pitching star:  Cole Sands pitched 4.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks and striking out three.

Opposition stars:  Ivan Herrera was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.  Justin Toerner was 1-for-2 with a home run and two walks.  Yepez was 1-for-4 with a home run.

CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS

Tuesday

CEDAR RAPIDS 7, PEORIA 0 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

The Kernels scored three in the first and had all of their runs in the first four innings.

Batting star:  Spencer Steer was 2-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base, and two runs.

Pitching stars:  Kody Funderburk pitched three shutout innings, giving up a hit and two walks and striking out two.  Andrew Cabezas pitched four shutout innings, giving up one hit and two walks and striking out two.  Melvi Acosta struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition star:  Evan Sisk struck out three in two perfect innings.

Wednesday

CEDAR RAPIDS 7, PEORIA 6 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Gabe Snyder doubled home the deciding run with two out in the ninth inning.

Batting stars:  Matt Wallner was 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs.  Spencer Steer was 3-for-5.  Snyder was 2-for-5 with a double.

Pitching star:  Tyler Palm pitched three shutout innings, giving up two hits and five walks (!) and striking out two.

Opposition stars:  Alec Burleson was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs.  Zade Richardson was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two runs.  Jack Ralston struck out four in 3.1 innings, giving up an unearned run on three hits and two walks.

Kernels starter Ben Gross struck out four in 2.2 innings, giving up three unearned runs on four hits and two walks.

Thursday

PEORIA 11, CEDAR RAPIDS 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Already leading 4-2, the Chiefs scored seven in the ninth to put it out of reach.

Batting stars:  Matt Wallner was 2-for-2 with a triple, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch.  Yeltsin Encarnacion was 2-for-4.

Pitching star:  Zach Featherstone pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and two walks and striking out one.

Opposition stars:  Alec Burleson was 3-for-4 with a home run (his second), a walk, two runs, and two RBIs.  Chandler Redmond was 3-for-4 with a home run and a walk.  Mac Lardner pitched four shutout innings, giving up a hit and three walks and striking out two.

Kernels starter Blayne Enlow struck out six in four innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and two walks.

FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS

Tuesday

FORT MYERS 6, BRADENTON 3 IN BRADENTON

Trailing 3-2 after eight, the Mighty Mussels scored four in the ninth.  The runs scored on a wild pitch, a bases-loaded walk, and a two-run single by Edouard Julien.

Batting stars:  Julien was 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs.  Willie Joe Garry, Jr. was 1-for-3 with a home run, two walks, and two runs.

Pitching stars:  Regi Grace struck out six in 4.1 innings, giving up one run on four hits and a walk.  Louie Varland struck out ten in 4.2 innings, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Endy Rodriguez was 2-for-4.  Alexander Mojica was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer.  J. C. Flowers struck out three in three shutout innings, giving up one hit.

Wednesday

FORT MYERS 13, BRADENTON 4 IN BRADENTON

The Mighty Mussels scored five in the first and four in the second to take control.

Batting stars:  Keoni Cavaco was 3-for-5 with a double, a walk, and two runs.  Yunior Severino was 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs.  Max Smith was 1-for-5 with a grand slam, a walk, two runs, and five RBIs.  Will Holland was 1-for-4 with a home run and a walk.

Pitching star:  Hunter McMahon struck out six in 4.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Will Matthiessen was 3-for-5.  Endy Rodriguez was 1-for-2 with a home run, a walk, and two runs.  Logan Hoffman struck out seven in three shutout innings, giving up one hit.

Mighty Mussels starter Casey Legumina struck out six in 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks.

Thursday

BRADENTON 3, FORT MYERS 1 IN BRADENTON

The Marauders scored two in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead.  The lone Mighty Mussels run came on a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Batting star:  Edouard Julien was 1-for-3 with a walk.  The Mighty Mussels had just two hits.

Pitching stars:  Osiris German struck out five in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up two walks.  Denny Bentley struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Eli Wilson was 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk.  Santiago Flores struck out seven in four shutout innings, giving up one hit and no walks.  Steven Jennings struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up two walks.

Mighty Mussels starter Sean Mooney struck out five in 2.1 innings, giving up one run on one hit.

TODAY'S TILTS

5:05  Fort Myers at Bradenton
6:35  Peoria at Cedar Rapids
7:05  St. Paul at Omaha
7:05  Wichita at Springfield