Kane County Cougars at Quad City River Bandits


April 19th, 2002

Cougars
Name POS AB R H RBI
Anthony Brewer CF 4 1 1 0
Hunter Wyant 3B 4 0 1 0
Scott Hicks LF 4 0 2 0
Jason Stokes 1B 4 0 1 0
Charlie Frazier RF 4 0 0 0
Michael Tucker DH 3 0 0 0
Winton Zapey C 3 1 0 0
Kris Clute 2B 4 0 1 1
Rex Rundgren SS 3 0 0 0
Bandits
Name POS AB R H RBI
James Tomlin CF 5 1 2 0
Kaulana Kuhaulua SS 5 1 1 0
Joe Mauer DH 4 2 1 1
Bryan Kennedy C 4 2 2 2
Michael Sandoval 3B 3 2 1 1
Jason Kubel RF 3 0 1 2
Matt Abram RF 1 0 0 0
Ken Huff 1B 3 0 1 0
Barry Quickstad LF 3 0 0 0
Jake Mauer 2B 0 0 0 0
Brett Tamburrino 2B/LF 4 0 1 0

Kane County 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 2
Quad City 3 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 X 8 10 1

E-Wyant, Clute, Kuhaulua, LOB KC-6, QC-9, 2B-Clute, Kuhaulua, Kennedy 2, Kubel, SB-Brewer, Hicks, Frazier, Quickstad, HBP-Quickstad, GIDP-Zapey, Kuhaulua

Cougars
Name IP H R ER BB SO Decison
Jeff Fulchino 5 6 7 5 4 2 L (0-1)
Tyler Banks 1 2 1 1 1 1 ND
Nick Ungs 1 2 0 0 0 0 ND
Tim Schilling 1 0 0 0 0 0 ND

Bandits
Name IP H R ER BB SO Decison
Jason Richardson 5 4 2 2 1 4 W (1-0)
Travis Bowyer 3 2 0 0 0 3 ND
Matt Vorwald 1 0 0 0 1 0 ND

HB-Fulchino, WP-Fulchino 2, Bowyer, So-Hicks, Frazier, Tucker, Zapey, Clute, Rundgren 2, Kubel, Huff, Quickstad, BB-Tucker, Zapey, Jo.Mauer, Kennedy, Sandoval 2, Huff
A-601


Voice Of A Season Ticket Holder
by David Malamut

You Know this is going to be a long season when the worst hitting team in the league gets ten hits and eight runs, and you only get six hits and two runs. It's just going to be a long, frustrating year. The Cougars just looked very flat tonight.

The River Bandits pitched, hit and played defense, way better than us. They knew what they were doing, we made some plays that, yes I know the players are young but you'd think they would know were to throw a ball, and how to catch the ball. The offense will come around sooner or later but the defense should be a lot better than this.

Jason Richardson started for the Bandits and gave up a couple of early runs to the Cougars but settled down in the final three innings and retired the final seven Cougars he faced. He struck out three of those final seven.

Tyler Baks, Nick Ungs and Tim Schilling came out of the bullpen to combine to go three innings, giving up four hits, one run, one walk and one strike out. Schilling came in the eighth and got the side in order.

Jeff Fulchino started for the Cougars and just did not have anything to offer. In his five inning he had one inning when he wasn't in trouble. In the fifth inning he lead the inning off by striking out Jason Kubel. Then he gave up an infield single to Kenny Huff, Huff would advance to second on a wild pitch. Barry Quickstad was then hit by a pitch. Brett Tambarino then poped one up in the infield between the mound and home plate. Fulchino ran into the catcher Winton Zapey, but he caught the ball. While those two were discusing what happend, and probly their dinner plans. Huff scrambled over to third. Quickstad then stole second base to put two runners in scoring positon with two outs. James Tomlin then grounded back to Fulchino to end the inning.

For the Bandits their middle of the order did most of the damage. Joe Mauer, Bryan Kennedy and mIchael Sandoval went a combined 4 for 11, with Kennedy getting two doubles. They trio walked three times. The one thing that stands out is that they scored six of the Bandits eight runs.

For the Cougars, Scott Hicks had two singles. Anthony Brewer and Winton Zapey scored the two Cougar runs.


The scoring started in the top of the first for the Cougars when Anthony Brewer led things off with an infield single to short. Hunter Wyant then singled to right. Scott Hicks grounded into a fielder's choice. Wyant was out at second. Brewer is at third and Hicks is at first. The Cougars then pulled of the old double steal. Brewer stole home.

The Bandits scored in the bottom of the inning when with two outs. Joe Mauer and Bryan Kennedy both walked. Michael Sandoval then singled up the middle to score Mauer to tie the game. Jason Kubel then doubled into the corner in left to score both Kennedy and Sandoval.

With one out in the second Winton Zapey walked. Kris Clute then double right over the third base bag to score Zapey to cut the lead to one.

The River Bandits added a few more in the third when Joe Mauer reached on an error by third baseman Hunter Wyant. Bryan Kennedy then grounded one to second, Kris Clute made a nice play and got the force play at second. Michael Sandoval then walked. Jason Kubel moved the runners along with a groundout to first. Kenny Huff hit a grounder to second, the ball went right between Clute's legs for an error. Both runners would score.

In the fourth inning the Bandits scored some more runs. With one out James Tomlin had a bunt single back to the mound, then he moved to second on a wild pitch. One out later, Joe Mauer singled to left to drive home Tomlin. Bryan Kennedy then hit one to Scott Hicks out in left, Hicks danced with it a while then lost it. He got a double, then was charged with the error, but now it is a double. On the play Mauer scored and Kennedy pulled up at second.

The Bandits just kept on coming, in the sixth they scored again. Kaulana Kuhaulua started things off with a double to left. Joe Mauer moved him to third on a triple. Bryan Kennedy then doubled to right to score Kuhaulua.


Quad City Times
by Steve Batterson

Playing behind the top pick in baseball's 2001 draft dosen't necessarily equate to plentiful playing time.

Bryan Kennedy begs to differ. With Joe Mauer filling the designated hitter spot in the Quad City River Bandits lineup Friday, Kennedy made the most of his opportunity.

The Quad City catcher belted a pair of run scoring doubles and called an 8-2, six hit victory over Kane County at John O'Donnell Stadium.

"As long as he keeps hitting like he has been, we'll have to find a spot for him in the lineup." River Bandits manager Jeff Carter said.

Kennedy, who went 4 for 9 at the plate in three straight starts earlier in the week, said understanding his role has helped him deal with it.

"Obviously, Joe is going to catch most of our games, but I try to come to the park every day as if I am going to play." Kennedy said. "Whether I'm DHing or catching. I have to be ready to step in and do my job when I do get in the lineup."

Carter said that has been happening. "He's what we want all of our guys to be. He always has himself prepared to play, and when the opportunity has been there he has shown us what he can do." Carter said.

Kennedy's hits Friday finished off a 10 hit effort by the River Bandtis that started with a two out rally in the first inning.

Michael Sandoval and Jason Kubel combined to drive in three runs as Quad City allied for a 3-1 lead that it didn't reliquish.

Pitchers Jason Richardson, Travis Bowyer and Matt Vorwald combined on the six hitter, striking out seven and walking three batters.

"They worked a good game, set a good pace," Kennedy said. "They made it easy for me behind the plate."


Losses aside, a few days on the road might have benefited the young Quad City River Bandits.

Although Quad City still has the fourth youngest team in the Midwest League this season, manager Jeff Carter said the team that took the field Friday night at John O'Donnell Stadium was different from the one that played there a week earlier.

Quad City went 1-6 in Wisconsin, but what happened off the field might eventually prove more important than what took place on it.

"The guys had time to talk with each other and talk about what it means to be a professional." Carter said. "A lot of guys don't understand what it takes to play at higher levels, the commitment and attention to detail that involves." "The last few days, I've seen them pick it up, and hopefully they'll keep working at it. It's and ongoing thing."

Catcher Bryan Kennedy, at 23 the oldest player on the River Bandits roster, said the learning process is just begining.

"I think the road trip was probably a good thing for us." he said, "It gave us a chance to come together as a team and work through some things."

Eight Quad City players had hits Friday, every starter reached base at least once, and the team struk out just twice against Kane County starter Jeff Fulchino, who entered the game with a league leading 23 strikeouts.

Still Streaking
With a two run double in the first inning Friday, the River Bandits Jason Kubel extended his season opening hitting streak to 11 games.

Play By Play

Cougars 1st
Brewer, single to short
Wyant, single to right, Brewer to second
Hicks, reach on fielder's choice, Brewer to third, Wyant out at second, short stop Kuhaulua to second baseman Ja.Mauer, Hicks to first
-Hicks steals second, Brewer steal home
Stokes, fly out to leftfieder Quickstad
Frazier, fly out to right fielder Kubel
Cougars 1, Bandits 0

Bandits 1st
Tomlin, ground out to second baseman Clut to first baseman Stokes
Kuhaulua, fly out to right fielder Frazier
Jo.Mauer, walk
Kennedy, walk, Jo.Mauer to second
Sandoval, single to center, Jo.Mauer scored, Kennedy to second
Kubel, double to left, Kennedy and Sandoval scored.
Huff, walk
Quickstad, strike out
Cougars 1, Bandits 3

Cougars 2nd
Tucker, lined out to leftfielder Quickstad
Zapey, walk
Clute, double to left, Zapey scored
Rundgren, strike out
Brewer, ground out first baseman Huff to pitcher Richardson
Cougars 2, Bandits 3

Bandits 2nd
Tamburrino, fly out to centerfielder Brewer
Tomlin, ground out second baseman Clut to first baseman Stokes
Kuhaulua, ground out third baseman Wyant to first baseman Stokes
Cougars 2, Bandits 3

Cougars 3rd
Wyant, lined out to centerfielder Tomlin
Hicks, single to center
Stokes, reach on fielder's choice, Hicks, second baseman Ja. Mauer to short stop Kuhaulua, Stokes to first
Frazier, strike out
Cougars 2, Bandits 3

Bandits 3rd
Jo.Mauer reach on error by third baseman Wyant
Kennedy, reach on fielder's choice, Jo.Mauer out at second, second baseman Clute to short stop Rundgren, Kennedy to first,/l1>
Sandoval, walk, Kennedy to second
Kubel, ground out first baseman Stokes to pitcher Fulchino, Kennedy to third and Sandoval to second
Huff, reach on error by second baseman Clute, Kennedy and Sandoval scored
Quickstad, fly out to left fielder Hicks
Cougars 2, Bandits 5

Cougars 4th
Tucker, ground out to short stop Kuhaulua to first baseman Huff
Zapey, strike out
Clute, strike out
Cougars 2, Bandits 5

Bandits 4th
Tamburrino, ground out to short stop Rundgren to first baseman Stokes
Tomlin, bunt single to the pitcher
-wild pitch by Fulchino, Tomlin to second
Kuhaulua, ground out to third baseman Wyant to first baseman Stokes
Jo.Mauer, single to left, Tomlin scored
Kennedy, double to left, Jo.Mauer scored
Sandoval, ground out to short stop Rundgren to first baseman Stokes
Cougars 2, Bandits 7

Cougars 5th
Rundgren, fly out to rightfielder Kubel
Brewer, ground out to short stop Kuhaulua to first baseman Huff
Wyant, ground out to short stop Kuhaulua to first baseman Huff
Cougars 2, Bandits 7

Bandits 5th
Kubel, strike out
Huff, single to short
-Huff moved to second on wild pitch by Fulchino
QUickstad, hit by pitch
Tamburrino, pop out to pitcher Fulchino, Huff moves to third
-Quickstad stole second
Tomlin, ground out to pitcher Fulchino to first baseman Stokes
Cougars 2, Bandits 7

Cougars 6th
Pitching Change:Travis Bowyer replaces Jason Richardson
Matt Abram replaces Jason Kubel in right field
Hicks, strike out
Stokes, single to second
Frazier, reach on an error by short stop Kuhaulua, Stokes moves to third
Tucker, strike out
Zapey, ground out to third baseman Sandoval to first baseman Huff
Cougars 2, Bandits 7

Bandits 6th
Pitching Change:Tyler Banks replaces Jeff Fulhcino
Kuhaulua, double to left
Jo.Mauer, ground out to short stop Rundgren to first baseman Huff, Kuhaulua to second
Kennedy, double to right, Kuhaulua scored
Sandoval, walk, Kennedy to second
Abram, fly to leftfielder Hicks
Huff, strike out
Cougars 2, Bandits 8

Cougars 7th
Clute, ground out to short stop Kuhaulua to first baseman Huff
Rundgren, strike out
Brewer, ground out to short stop Kuhaulua to first baseman Huff
Cougars 2, Bandits 8

Bandits 7th
Pitching Change:Nick Ungs replaces Tyler Banks
Quickstad, ground out to first baseman Stokes to pitcher Ungs
Tamburrino, single to second
Tomlin, single to left, Tamburrino to second
Kuhaulua, ground into double play, Tomlin out at second, pitcher Ungs to second baseman Clute to short stop Rundgren to first baseman Stokes
Cougars 2, Bandits 8

Cougars 8th
Wyant, ground out to second baseman Ja. Mauer to first baseman Huff
Hicks, single to center
-wild pitch by Bowyer, Hicks moves to second
Stokes, fly out to centerfielder Tomlin
Frazier, ground out to first baseman Huff unassisted
Cougars 2, Bandits 8

Bandits 8th
Pitching Change:Tim Schilling replaces Nick Ungs
Jo.Mauer, lined out to centerfielder Brewer
Kennedy, ground out to pitcher Schilling to first baseman Stokes
Sandoval, ground out to short stop Rundgren to first baseman Stokes
Cougars 2, Bandits 8

Cougars 9th
Pitching Change:Matt Vorwald replaces Travis Bowyer
Tucker, walk
Zapey, ground into double play, Tucker out at second, short stop Kuhaulua to second baseman Ja.Mauer to first baseman Huff
Clute, ground out to short stop Kuhaulua to first baseman Huff
Cougars 2, Bandits 8