Spring Hill Chargers

04/18/2010 - Lakers cruise past Chargers, 13-4

The Spring Hill Chargers opened up the 2010 exhibition season beneath sunny skies over in Lake Henry versus the Lakers.  Despite a depleted squad thanks to an abundance of college players, the Lakers managed to outslug the Chargers in the teams' only warm-up before the regular season.  It was a good opportunity for the Chargers to get the whole squad on the field and show what they can do.  Hopefully Lake Henry has the smallest dugouts in the league, fitting this whole crew in one dugout is no easy task.

 

The Charger offense didn't miss a beat from last season early on.  Eric Schoenberg spanked a double to right-center to lead off the inning, followed by a flurry of hits to give Spring Hill a 3-0 first inning lead.  It was one of two doubles Eric on the day, though it was much more entertaining watching him getting pegged by paintballs as he ran across a field decked out in blaze orange the day before.  Shawn Schoenberg, Corey Schoenberg, and Aaron Welle also drove in runs for the Chargers.  Laker pitchers put forth their best effort towards the kitty money by taking the bats out of the hands of 12 Chargers thanks to strikeouts.  Jonathan Nietfeld continued his efforts to not put a bat in anyone's hands as he continued his Sunday afternoon tradition of making sweet, pine-tar stained firewood.

 

The Charger pitching had its ups and downs as well.  On a positive note, playing an actual game allowed them to throw at batters that weren't on their own team, as four Lakers fell victim to overcrowding the plate.  Chris Spanier started off the game, followed up by relievers Shawn, Aaron, Eric, and Cody Eichers.  Never an easy place to be an opposing pitcher, the home team racked up 3 home runs of Charger pitching.  The game did prove the staff has plenty of depth though, as the team used five pitchers even though guys like Brad Terres and Joe Welle never even entered the game.  You can never have too much pitching in this league, simple as that.

 

The best part about the game last Sunday?  It doesn't count in the standings.  The season officially kicks off next Sunday as the Chargers welcome the Greenwald Cubs to town.  Things got pretty heated during last year's game in Spring Hill.  It got so heated in fact that the teams had to gather for a keg party after the game.  Nothing says "I'm sorry" like a barrel of fun in the home teams dugout.  Where's Herman Lensing when you need him?  That's a photographic Stearns County moment if I've ever seen one.  Assuming we all survive another Charger wedding, see ya Sunday.

 

(AP Sartell)