Game Recaps
June 14, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Shorewood, IL – Perhaps success came a little too easy for the 8U Lockport Cobras early in the season when failures were few and far between. Those victories seemed miles away after the latest setback in their I-80 League finale.
Whiteford hammered the Cobras 11-0 in a playoff semifinal and sent the Cobras to their fourth loss in five games. Lockport ended the season with a 5-4 record, by no means a failure, but somewhat of a disappointment after starting off 4-0.
“This is the end of the year and we’re supposed to be getting better,” Lockport Coach Craig Weins said. “We started out so good and that was a detriment to us because we couldn’t deal with failure after that.”
The Cobras will now be challenged to put the aside the bad memories, work hard to improve in many areas and prepare for the traveling all-star tournaments coming up in July.
Whiteford jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning with Joey Utz battling through a tight strike zone by retiring three straight hitters to close the frame. After Whiteford went up 5-0 in the second inning, C.J. Weins was called upon to extinguish a bases-loaded rally and he responded with three consecutive strikeouts to end the threat.
Weins worked a scoreless third inning and gave way to Jake Brasen in the fourth. Brasen was victimized by a foul-ball triple to start the inning and also made a nice diving play off the mound, although Whiteford wound up increasing the lead to 9-0. Finley Travis came on to snuff out the rally by inducing a lineout to Josh Bentley (first base) and fielder’s choice from shortstop Utz to second baseman Jacob Kampf.
Travis worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning that included a strikeout sandwiched in between two snares of hard hit balls back to the mound for putouts at first. Her gritty performance was not lost on the Cobras Coaching Staff.
“She came in with a lot of heart and desire to compete,” Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz said. “She wasn’t gonna be denied.”
Josh Bentley worked a solid sixth inning with three strikeouts despite allowing two unearned runs which increased the lead to 11-0.
Offensively, the Cobras had their best chance in the third inning. With two outs, Brandon Goddard belted a hard single to left and was followed by singles from Brasen and Utz (2-for-2) to load the bases for Weins, who belted a long, high fly to deep right field which the Whiteford outfielder gloved at the warning track. One more bowl of gruel for breakfast and it would have been a 5-4 deficit after the near grand slam.
Luke Bentley led off the fourth with a single, Kampf was hit by a pitch and Travis drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. Patrick Hoak battled the hard-throwing Whiteford pitcher by fouling off a few pitches before going down on strikes to end the frame.
Both John Elsen and Josh Bentley crushed hard grounders, but were victimized by nice plays by the Whiteford second baseman. In the bottom of the sixth, Mitch Price launched a two-out, two-strike missile to deep center that went for a long single.
Trophies were passed out during a muted postgame ceremony for the Cobras’ second-place finish in the I-80 League regular season. The trophies were stark reminders of the not-so-distant past and of the potential this team has shown when playing its best baseball.
Back to the Future is best known as a Hollywood movie franchise, but it also could apply as the Cobras new rallying cry.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
June 7, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Homer Glen, IL – Good baseball teams never quit. Homer taught that painful lesson to the 8U Lockport Cobras and walked away with the I-80 League title as a result.
The visiting Cobras (5-3) held two leads during the seesaw game, but it was Homer that rang up the game’s final run for a stunning 9-8 walk-off victory in the bottom of the sixth. The two clubs entered the game tied for the division lead on this final weekend of regular season play and Homer earned the right to call themselves champs.
“That was undoubtedly the toughest loss of the year,” said Cobras Manager Craig Weins. “The biggest negative of the game for us was getting the ball back in and we didn’t do a great job of that.”
Homer consistently put the ball in play and applied pressure to the Cobras defense. There were several plays around the diamond that were near-miss defensive gems, any of which could have turned the game around.
“Our pitchers worked their hearts out there today”, Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz said. “We need to work on catching the ball behind them a little better.”
Things looked good early with Lockport jumping out to a 5-0 lead after a half inning of play.
The Cobras loaded the bases when Jake Brasen (2-for-3, RBI) singled, C.J. Weins walked and Mitch Price reached on an infield single. Then the always-clutch “Bentley Boys” came through with Luke (2-for-2, 2 RBI) knocking a two-run single and Josh belting an RBI single for a 3-0 Cobras lead. Finley Travis then was drilled in the back on a hard fastball that made a sickening thud, however, she shook it off quickly and took first to load the bases. Jacob Kampf then knocked a single up the middle to score two more and put the Cobras ahead 5-0.
Homer came out swinging against John Elsen in the bottom of the first, but he overcame a few walks and overthrows by the defense to record three strikeouts and keep Lockport in the lead at 5-3.
The Cobras rallied again in the second inning when Brandon Goddard and Patrick Hoak opened the frame with walks. Jake Brasen then ripped an RBI single to score Goddard and increase the lead back to 6-3. Homer struck back in the bottom half, but Elsen snuffed out the rally with a strikeout to end the frame with Lockport still ahead 6-5.
Jake Brasen took the mound throwing smoke in the third inning and got some nice defensive putouts from Hoak (right field) and Weins (third base), but Homer still managed to tie the game at 6-6 thanks to a hit batter.
In the fourth, Elsen drew a leadoff walk ahead of a line shot double down the right field line from Hoak as Elsen scored on a Homer overthrow for a 7-6 Cobras lead. Joey Utz then belted an RBI-single to score Hoak for an 8-6 lead that seemingly tipped the momentum in the Cobras’ favor.
Weins came out breathing fire in the bottom of the fourth as he record three consecutive strikeouts on just 10 pitches. But Lockport failed to rally in their half of the fifth despite a single from Luke Bentley and Homer set the stage for a comeback.
Homer capitalized on a leadoff walk and inside-the-park home run against Weins which marked the first runs of the season scored against the Cobras’ star player. Weins then settled down to strike out three of the next four hitters to end the inning with the game tied at 8-8.
The Cobras were unable to rally in their half of the sixth and Homer closed it out in the bottom half with a one-out gap double that ended the game at 9-8. The loss marked the third in four games for Lockport and was the second straight one-run defeat.
Despite some defensive lapses on overthrows, the Cobras also had many near-misses on defense that were inches away from going their way. Luke Brasen (third base), Weins (centerfield), Kampf (second base) and Jake Brasen (second base) all made tremendous efforts on hard-hit balls that almost became highlight reel outs.
With the regular season complete, the second-seeded Cobras now look to learn from their mistakes and take another leap ahead when the I-80 League playoffs begin next week.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
May 31, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Joliet, IL – Lighting rarely strikes the same place twice, but it almost did for the 8U Lockport Cobras.
During an April visit to Whiteford, the Cobras rallied late for their first I-80 League victory. This trip proved no different as the visitors again fell into a deep hole, but Whiteford was able to hang on for an 8-7 victory to drop the Cobras’ record to 5-2 with one game to play before the postseason tournament.
“Whiteford deserved to win,” said Cobras Manager Craig Weins. “They came out swinging the bats and took it to us. They put pressure on us from the start.”
The Cobras faced deficits of 5-0 after three innings and 8-1 after four, but still managed a furious late rally that almost saved the day. Those early holes, however, proved too deep to overcome and perhaps could have been avoided with better focus.
“We were not ready to play, plain and simple”, Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz said. “But we have to remember, these kids are 7 and 8 years old.”
Trailing 5-0 heading to the fourth, C.J. Weins woke up the Cobras faithful with a towering solo homer that sailed deep over the right-field fence. The blast was estimated at 185 feet by a local man and breathed life into the Cobras bats with the deficit now at 5-1. Jake Brasen (1-for-2) followed with a hard grounder to short and was narrowly out at first. Mitch Price then knocked the first pitch he saw for a single to left and Josh Bentley (1-for-3, RBI) crushed a line drive that the Whiteford pitcher caught in self-defense to end the frame.
Whiteford added three more runs in their half of the fourth to push the lead back to 8-1, but the Cobras got them right back in the top of the fifth.
John Elsen (1-for-1, 2 walks) started the fifth-inning rally with a line drive double to left and came home on an RBI-single from Luke Bentley (2-for-3, 3 RBIs), who then stole second and came home on another ringing double from Finley Travis (1-for-3, RBI). Jacob Kampf (1-for-2, RBI) then belted a single to drive home Travis and cut the Whiteford lead to 8-4. Patrick Hoak (2-for-2, co-player of the game) followed with a solid single, but the rally stalled on a rocket shot to the wall from Brandon Goddard (co-player of the game) that was ruled a fielder’s choice as Hoak was forced at second to end the threat.
Weins held Whiteford scoreless in the bottom half of the fifth thanks to nice plays in the field from centerfielder Kampf and first baseman Goddard to set the stage for a dramatic finish.
In the top of the sixth, Jake Brasen and Price started a two-out rally by drawing walks ahead of Josh Bentley, who mashed an RBI-single to make it an 8-5 game. Elsen then drew a walk ahead of Luke Bentley, who on cue mashed a two-run single to cut the lead to 8-7. Travis then belted a hard grounder that was snared by the Whiteford pitcher, who threw to first in the nick of time to snuff out the Cobras’ hopes of a second comeback victory.
“The bright spot was the bottom half of our order which played fantastic,” concluded Utz. “They put the ball in play and did a very nice job.”
On the mound, Jake Brasen worked the first two frames allowing minimal damage despite some big swings from Whiteford. In the second inning, a shot back to the mound caught Jake Brasen on the ankle and he went down in a heap. The sight of the entire Cobras’ team and coaching staff surrounding him was uplifting, along with his brother Luke Brasen dusting off the back of his jersey.
Fireballer Elsen battled some wildness in the third inning, but also made a nice play from the mound to record an out. Joey Utz came on in relief to end the frame with a strikeout and also worked the fourth inning by punctuating it with a swinging strikeout.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
May 17, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Lockport, IL – There are no free lunches in the I-80 League. On any given week, a talented team in the other dugout will be ready to clean your clock.
The 8U Lockport Cobras lost the opener of a double-header 5-2 to Morris, but rallied back to win the nightcap 16-6 in four innings. So while the Cobras (5-1) lost their bid for an undefeated season, they also gained some valuable perspective in the process.
“The wins have been a little too easy for us so far,” Cobras Manager Craig Weins said. “We knew right away we were in for a game today.”
“It’s good to get that first loss out of the way,” added Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz. “They’re all good teams in this league and you have to come prepared against them.”
Morris drew Lockport’s attention during an April practice game in which they showed plenty of offensive pop. The Cobras didn’t muster much offense in the opener, but proceeded to outslug Morris in Game 2 by pounding the ball up and down the lineup.
Mitch Price (2-for-2, 4 RBI), Brandon Goddard (2-for-2, 2 RBI), Joey Utz (2-for-2, 2 RBI) and Josh Bentley (2-for-2, 2 RBI) led the offensive barrage in Game 2. Josh Bentley (2 IP) and Luke Brasen (2 IP) were each touched for runs in their initial innings of mound work, but each rebounded with strong second innings to keep Morris at bay.
Morris jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but the Cobras responded with a five spot in the bottom half of a wild first inning in which both clubs sent the maximum of nine hitters to the dish.
Goddard led off with a single, stole second and came home on a smash RBI-single by Utz. Jake Brasen (2 runs) followed with an RBI-single, C.J. Weins (2 runs) was plunked and Josh Bentley (3 runs) added another hard RBI-single to cut the deficit to one run. Luke Brasen’s RBI-grounder and Price’s rocket RBI-single wound up giving the Cobras a 5-4 lead before the end of the first frame.
After Bentley held Morris in check in the second, Finley Travis (2 RBI) led off the Cobra half with a hard single and went to second on Patrick Hoak’s groundout. Goddard’s RBI-triple brought home Travis and was followed by another RBI-single from Utz to give Lockport a 7-4 lead.
Morris crept back to within 7-6 in the third inning, but Luke Brasen worked out of a bases-loaded jam with his third strikeout of the frame. The Cobras then drew six walks in the bottom half to plate three more runs and Luke Bentley’s RBI-single added another for an 11-6 Cobras lead.
Luke Brasen pitched out of more trouble in the fourth and was helped by shortstop Jacob Kampf, who snared a grounder and stepped on second to end a bases-loaded threat with no damage.
Utz was drilled in the ribs to open the Cobras’ half of the fourth, followed by Jake Brasen’s walk and Weins’ single to load the bases. Josh Bentley delivered an RBI-single, John Elsen drew a bases-loaded walk, Price cracked a two-run single and Travis walked to force home the final run with Lockport ahead 16-6.
In the opener, Morris jumped out to a 3-0 lead after a half inning against Utz, who steadied himself and slammed the door with three-straight strikeouts to end the frame. The Cobras mounted a threat in the bottom half thanks to singles from Utz and Weins, but were unable to score.
Utz came back to work a solid 1-2-3 second inning to keep Lockport close. Elsen singled to start the Cobras’ half and went to third after a gap double from Price, who did not make an out all afternoon. Kampf then hit a comebacker to the mound and while Elsen was out at home, Morris threw the ball away trying to get Kampf at second which allowed Price to score. Travis then laced an RBI-single to draw Lockport to within 3-2 and close out the scoring in the frame.
Elsen pitched a scoreless third inning and was backed by a nice play at third base from Josh Bentley. Morris moved out to a 5-2 lead in the fourth despite nice plays in the field from Luke Brasen (second base) and Kampf (third base).
Weins kept his scoreless innings streak intact with solid work in the fifth and sixth frames. Josh Bentley (left field) made a fantastic sliding catch in the fifth while Jake Brasen (shortstop) turned a double-play to end the sixth by fielding a hard-grounder and firing to Goddard at first. However, the Cobras were unable to mount a sustained rally as Morris went on to hand them their first loss of the season.
“We were flat, but you have to tip your hat to Morris,” Weins concluded. “They put pressure on our pitchers all game long and played a terrific game.”
Expect more of the same from every opponent during the home stretch of the I-80 League regular schedule and upcoming playoff tournament.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
Cobras conquer Troy in battle of I-80 League unbeatens!
May 10, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Lockport, IL – This battle of undefeated teams began as expected with Troy throwing the first punch and scoring quickly. But in the end, it was the 8U Lockport Cobras who struck back hard and wound up scoring the knockout blow.
The host Cobras (4-0) fell behind early and understood right away they were in a ballgame during this rollercoaster 14-4 victory. The game ended due to the10-run rule when Lockport erupted for 7 runs in the fourth to blow the game wide open.
“Our pitchers were put under stress today by an excellent Troy team,” Lockport Coach Craig Weins said. “But in the end, our bats came through. Everybody hit the ball and it was a beautiful thing to see.”
Luke Bentley (2 hits, 5 RBI), C.J. Weins (3-for-3, 3 RBI), Joey Utz (2 hits, 2 RBI, 2 runs), Jake Brasen (2 hits, 2 runs) and Mitch Price (2-for-2, 2 runs) all had multi-hit games for the Cobras offense. And while the pitchers showed some wildness, they also bore down when needed to slam the door against a powerhouse Troy lineup.
Troy jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Utz, who helped stem the damage with a fantastic diving grab of a grounder near the mound. Utz again was tested in the second inning, but escaped a bases loaded jam by ending the frame with his fifth strikeout of the day.
Jams are not something the frontline Lockport pitchers have been accustomed to seeing thus far in the season, so it wasn’t necessarily a bad experience.
“It helps build maturity and their confidence,” Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz said of his pitchers working under duress. “Ending a bases loaded jam with a strikeout is a good thing.”
In the Lockport half of the first, Brandon Goddard (2 runs, RBI) led off with a walk and went to third on Jake Brasen’s ringing double. Weins knocked them both home with a single to right and just like that the score was tied 2-2.
Price singled to start the second inning and was followed by walks from Jacob Kampf and Finley Travis (2 runs) before “Mr. Clutch” Luke Bentley brought them all home with a 2-out double to left. The Cobras had a 5-2 lead they would never relinquish.
Josh Bentley worked a 1-2-3 third inning thanks to nice plays in the field from second baseman Patrick Hoak and shortstop Kampf. Hoak snared a bad hop grounder that came up to his face, maintained his composure and fired to first to end the inning. In the dugout, Hoak’s red cheek spoke volumes about the toughness of the play.
Utz opened the third inning with a single, went to second on Jake Brasen’s grounder and came home on Weins’ RBI double over the center fielder’s head. Later in the frame, John Elsen launched a rocket over the right fielder’s head for a triple, but wound up stranded at third with the Cobras ahead 7-2.
Josh Bentley got into a self-induced jam in the fourth by issuing five walks, but escaped by surrendering only two runs. Luke Brasen made a nice catch at second base during the inning while Josh Bentley bore down to strike out the final hitter and leave the bases loaded with Lockport ahead 7-4.
Lockport erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth to end it.
Price started it off with a single, Travis was hit by a pitch and Hoak singled to load the bases again for Luke Bentley who right on cue ripped a two-run single. Goddard then followed with an RBI-single, Utz with a 2-run double and Jake Brasen with an RBI-single. Weins reached on an infield single which allowed Jake Brasen to advance to third and then score on the Troy overthrow to end the game with Lockport ahead 14-4.
“We’re playing well in all facets of the game right now,” concluded Utz.
After whipping another I-80 League foe, it’s hard to argue that point.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
Cobras bats thunder; blast Lemont!
May 5, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Lockport, IL – Every 8U Lockport Cobras player had a hand in the 19-3 thumping of Lemont Tuesday afternoon at Dellwood Park. The result does not count towards the I-80 League standings as it was considered a practice game; however, the outcome was impressive nonetheless.
Jake Brasen went 3-for-3 with a home run and made two sparkling plays in the field along with pitching an effective inning. Not to be outdone, Luke Brasen went 2-for-3 with a home run of his own. Joey Utz and C.J. Weins also added home runs.
Other offensive stars included John Elsen (3-for-3), Finley Travis (2-for-3) and Mitch Price (2-for-3), along with Brandon Goddard (2 runs) and Josh Bentley (2 runs).
On the mound, Goddard, Travis, Jacob Kampf, Patrick Hoak and Luke Bentley also pitched effectively against Lemont. Kampf also added an all-star caliber play behind the plate by throwing out a would-be base stealer.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
May 3, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Lemont, IL – Early season trends can quickly become the signature of a team. For the 8U Lockport Cobras, the calling card thus far has been stellar pitching and the wins are starting to pile up as a result.
Perhaps it was no surprise that the visiting Cobras (3-0) again rode strong pitching performances to a 6-1 victory against Lemont in I-80 League action. But while the result stayed the same, the names changed with John Elsen, Luke Brasen and Mitch Price holding down the fort through five innings before the flamethrower C.J. Weins closed things out.
Cobras pitchers recorded 12 strikeouts for the game and allowed just three hits. The pitchers were backed by solid defensive plays from many different players throughout this beautiful Sunday afternoon.
“That’s what it takes to be a competitive travel team, you need contributions from every kid”, said Cobras Manager Craig Weins. “We are getting a total team contribution. It’s everybody.”
Elsen started the game strong with two scoreless innings while game MVP Luke Brasen worked the next two frames allowing only a single run and striking out six. Price created his own jam in the fifth by walking the bases loaded, but kept Lemont off the scoreboard by striking out the final hitter.
“John (Elsen) did a great job of throwing strikes and making them put the ball in play,” said Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz. “And Luke (Brasen) gave up the home run, but did a nice job by coming right back to strike the next guy out.”
The Cobras jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Joey Utz (2-for-2, 2 RBIs, 2 runs) walked, moved to second on infield outs by Jake Brasen and Weins, then came around to score on Josh Bentley’s RBI single.
The Cobras loaded the bases in the second thanks to a leadoff double from Price and walks from Finley Travis and Patrick Hoak, but the rally fizzled. In the bottom half, Lemont put runners at first and second with 1 out, but Josh Bentley made a nice running catch in left field for the second out. Bentley then fired the ball back to the infield where first baseman Weins gathered it up and stepped on first to double off the runner and end the threat.
Utz drew a leadoff walk to start the third, followed by Jake Brasen’s single and consecutive walks from Weins and Josh Bentley (2 RBIs) forced home Utz for a 2-0 lead.
Travis started the fourth-inning rally with a solid single to right and came home on an RBI-double from Luke Bentley, who was then knocked home by Utz’s RBI-triple for a 4-0 Cobras lead. Lemont cut the lead to 4-1 in the bottom half on the inside-the-park home run, but Luke Brasen slammed the door immediately after.
In the fifth, Weins led off with a walk and came home on Elsen’s RBI single that increased the lead to 5-1. The defense shined again in the bottom half as both Luke Bentley (left field) and Travis (second base) caught fly balls to help Price escape his bases-loaded jam.
Jacob Kampf singled to start the sixth and came around to score on Utz’s RBI single to close out the scoring with Lockport ahead 6-1. Weins gave Lemont no quarter in the bottom of the sixth with his typical 1-2-3 strikeout performance as each opposing hitter was called out on strikes.
“I thought we would be very competitive, but I honestly didn’t think we would be this good,” concluded Weins. “I know it’s gonna get tougher as these teams start to hit the ball more. Lemont is a good team.”
That’s good incentive for the Cobras to continue working hard and remain hungry for the balance of the season. If they weren’t a target at the beginning of the season, they certainly are now.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
April 26, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Lockport, IL – Two strong baseball teams looked across at each other with designs on establishing dominance in this early-season I-80 League clash of familiar foes. And from the first pitch onward, it was the 8U Lockport Cobras who looked the part of an emerging baseball powerhouse.
The Cobras (2-0) rode strong pitching performances from Joey Utz, Josh Bentley and C.J. Weins to a surprisingly mundane 7-1 thrashing of Homer. Josh Bentley (3-for-3, 5 RBIs) and Jake Brasen (2-for-3, 3 runs) pounded the ball with consistency on the way to picking up co-MVP medals for the game.
After beating a team of this caliber so soundly, the only thing that may threaten the Cobras is complacency.
“The whole team stood up to an excellent Homer team,” said Cobras Manager Craig Weins. “Everybody on our team hit the ball well, but it was our pitching that set the tone. Those are good hitters!”
The final numbers told a staggering story: Lockport pitchers recorded 16 of 18 outs via the strikeout while scattering seven Homer hits. And they walked just one batter all day long.
Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz added, “When you shut them down in the top of the first and then score three in the bottom of the first, it pretty much sets the tone for the game.”
That tone was set by the younger Utz, who came out firing with two strong, scoreless innings of work. Utz worked out of mild jams in both innings and got some defensive help in the second as catcher John Elsen nailed a would-be base stealer at third with Jake Brasen applying the tag.
In the Cobras half of the first, Brandon Goddard and Utz led off with solid singles to set the table for the big bats. Jake Brasen laced an RBI double and Josh Bentley drove home another pair with a triple for a 3-0 lead after an inning of play.
The Cobras were never in serious trouble the rest of the way.
Josh Bentley worked the third and fourth innings – allowing Homer a mere single run in the third – but followed that up with a 1-2-3 (three K’s) fourth inning to slam the door with the Cobras ahead 3-1.
The Cobras increased the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the third. Utz walked and Jake Brasen doubled ahead of Josh Bentley, who promptly knocked them both in with a hard single. Luke Brasen narrowly missed getting more, but his grounder was snared to end the inning.
Mitch Price led off the fourth with a rocket, but was robbed by the Homer shortstop. Jake Kampf, Finley Travis and Luke Bentley then drew consecutive walks to load the bases, but the Cobras rally fell short and the lead remained 5-1.
Homer mounted a threat in the fifth with a couple of infield hits which left runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs, but Weins bore down and slammed the door with a strikeout. Weins was particularly nasty in the frame as he mixed in changeups with his typical high-octane heat.
In the Cobras half of the fifth, Jake Brasen reached on an error and was brought home by Weins’ moon shot off the left-field fence for an RBI-double. Josh Bentley’s RBI single completed the scoring and put the Cobras ahead 7-1 heading to the sixth.
“I call him the bulldog,” Weins said of Josh Bentley. “He has a great mental attitude and he does not give in. He sets the tone for our team.”
Weins struck out the side in the sixth to end it with catcher Kampf snaring the final strike that sealed the victory.
“This was a total team victory,” Weins said in conclusion. “Our pitching was the key and it really set the tone.”
And if the games continue on this pace, those tones are going to be sweet music to the ears of Lockport baseball fans for the entire season.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
April 19, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Joliet, IL – It wasn’t a fun day to play baseball, but the way it turned out for the 8U Lockport Cobras, weather was the last thing anyone will remember.
In a rollercoaster game that had many heroes, the visiting Cobras (1-0) topped Whiteford by a final of 7-5 in the rain-soaked I-80 League opener for both clubs. Luke Bentley’s clutch two-run double in the sixth put the Cobras ahead and strong-armed C.J. Weins slammed the door in the bottom half to seal the comeback win.
“It doesn’t surprise me because Luke has such a positive attitude and gives us everything he has” said Cobras Manager Craig Weins. “He’s an upper!
Heading into their final at bat, the Cobras had scratched out one hit the entire game (Luke Brasen’s second-inning single) and trailed by a score of 5-0. For more perspective on the drama, consider that Luke Bentley’s resounding double came with two outs and was hit so hard that it rolled all the way to the wall.
“When Luke hit that ball, the place went nuts,” added Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz. “Home plate was under water by the time were done, but our pitchers did a great job despite the bad conditions. It was a mess.”
Rain was the main culprit that hung over both teams the entire game. As a result of Cobras wildness (13 walks allowed), Whiteford jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning and increased the lead to 5-0 in the third. Walks aside, the Cobras pitching staff had a strong day on a sloppy mound by allowing only one hit and striking out 14.
Joey Utz threw two solid innings and struck out four while Josh Bentley added a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. Weins came on in the fifth inning throwing smoke and faced only six hitters in his two innings of work, striking out everyone.
“C.J. was a mudder today!”, said the proud elder Weins. “He was throwing BB’s. All of the pitchers did a great job on a difficult day to pitch. Our coaches did an outstanding job of keeping the kids in the game.”
Jake Brasen put in some solid work behind the plate and kept the Whiteford running game in check. And despite the 5-0 deficit heading into their final at-bat, the Cobras refused to go away quietly.
Brandon Goddard led off with a single, Weins drew a 1-out walk and then Josh Bentley doubled to put Lockport on the board trailing 5-1 with runners at 2nd and 3rd. John Elsen’s single knocked in two more to make it 5-3. Luke Brasen (walk) and Jacob Kampf (hit by pitch) reached base ahead of Finley Travis, who then drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the lead to 5-4.
Utz reached on a fielder’s choice to drive in the game-tying run and set the table for Luke Bentley, whose blast down the right field line sent the soggy visiting crowd into a frenzy. Moments later, Weins snuffed out Whiteford’s final hopes for the 7-5 final.
“The positive attitude is what won the game for us,” concluded Weins. “The kids never gave up, they battled back and we got them in the last inning.”
The rest of the I-80 League games have a tough act to follow, but the Lockport character on display in the opener certainly bodes well for a strong season ahead.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
April 11, 2009
LBB SportsNet wire reports
Morris, IL -- According to baseball experts, hitting is contagious. At the rate the 8U Lockport Cobras are going, they may want to consider a quarantine to keep their hot bats from infecting their opponents.
In a final tune-up before their I-80 League opener, the visiting Cobras brought out the heavy metal during an 18-8 clubbing of Morris. The Cobras shook off the unseasonably cool temperatures to pound out 16 hits on a clear, but chilly afternoon against a solid opponent whom they will see again down the road.
Finley Travis was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with an RBI, while also contributing solid relief pitching and reliable work in the field. Jake Brasen swung a hot bat with three hits and four RBI, while Jacob Kampf added two hits, four RBI and some solid work in the field.
“This was our first away game on a different field, but it was pretty much the same as in the dome,” Cobras Manager Craig Weins said, referring to the victory on February 28 at the Bo Jackson Dome. “Finley played sensational and Jake Brasen pounded the ball all day. Everybody hit the ball.”
If the Cobras had a team bus (next year’s fundraising goal), they would have come off it swinging. Lockport struck for six runs in the opening half inning while sending the maximum number of batters to the plate and never looked back.
John Elsen (three RBI) started the scoring with a bases-loaded, two-out single that drove in a pair. Mitchell Price (two RBI) followed with a run-scoring single before Kampf cleared the bases with a double to give the Cobras a 6-0 lead to close out the frame.
After Morris scored twice in the bottom of the first, Jake Brasen delivered a clutch two-out single in the top of the second that drove in two runs and restored the Cobras’ lead to 8-2. Elsen settled things down in the bottom half with a scoreless inning on the mound.
Josh Bentley (two hits, three runs) led off the third inning with a single and came around to score on Price’s RBI groundout to build the lead to 9-3. In the bottom of the inning, an all-Bentley battery (Josh on the mound throwing to Brother Luke) proved effective as Morris was held scoreless thanks to some help from the defense. Morris had loaded the bases with two outs, but the rally died when Jake Brasen snared a hard grounder at short and flipped to Joey Utz for the force at third.
In the bottom of the fourth, Morris whittled the lead to 9-6 and was poised to get more before the Cobras defense came to the rescue again. Shortstop Utz ranged to his left to snare a hard grounder and then flipped to Travis for the force at second. End of threat, and effectively, the end of Morris’ comeback hopes.
The Cobras erupted for five runs in the fifth inning to blow things open for good. Jake Brasen knocked home Utz with a triple and scored on a wild throw. C.J. Weins then belted a towering solo homer over the right field fence. Luke Brasen’s RBI double, Travis’ RBI single and Patrick Hoak’s single closed out the inning as the Cobras sent the maximum to the plate again and led 14-6.
In the sixth and final inning, Brandon Goddard (three runs) ripped a double and Kampf added a sizzling RBI-single to cap the scoring with the Cobras ahead 18-8. Hard-throwing Utz and Weins combined on a scoreless inning with three strikeouts in the bottom half to close things out.
“All in all, the kids pitched well and threw a lot of strikes,” Cobras Pitching Coach Bill Utz said, “They consistently were around the plate and didn’t get flustered when they walked somebody. I was happy with all the pitchers.”
Hitting, pitching and defense are the obvious keys to success in baseball. If the tune-up games are any help in predicting the direction of a team, then the Cobras’ forecast looks warm and sunny for the near future.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price
February 28, 2009
Lockport, IL
Cobras (8U) 12, Vipers (9U) 5
For openers, it could not have gone much better for the 8U Lockport Cobras.
With baseball weather weeks away, the Cobras heated up in every phase of the game during a 12-5 victory over the 9U Lockport Vipers Saturday night at the Bo Jackson Sports Dome in Lockport. The air temperature outside was in the 20’s, but the Cobras were on fire inside the big bubble.
“I’m pleased that the kids weren’t intimidated playing against older kids,” said Cobras Manager Craig Weins. “They were very aggressive, battled all the way and everybody hit the ball well.”
Nobody more so than C.J. Weins, the Cobra cleanup hitter and all-around mainstay, who went 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBI. If the ground rules had been clarified prior to the start of the game (this was practice after all), then Weins’ first inning moonshot off the dome roof would have been called a three-run homer rather than just a run scoring single.
Leadoff hitter Brandon Goddard (2-for-4), Jake Brasen (2-for-3, RBI) and Josh Bentley (2-for-3, 3 RBI) also hit the ball hard consistently. John Elsen contributed a 1-for-3 night with two RBI and could also have been credited with a home run on his third-inning blast off the wall, which ultimately was scored a single.
Cobra pitchers also looked sharp for an early season practice game. Weins (2 IP), Josh Bentley (1 IP) and Finley Travis (1 IP) all threw scoreless innings using a combination of power and finesse backed by solid defense to keep the Vipers at bay.
“We threw a lot of strikes,” Cobras pitching coach Bill Utz said. “The kids kept a positive attitude and kept working hard. They all threw very well tonight and with good velocity.”
The visiting Cobras jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to RBI’s from Weins and Josh Bentley. However, the Vipers came right back to tie the game in the bottom half on consecutive bases-loaded walks drawn by Jacob and Matthew Ostrowski knotted things up at 2-2.
After the Cobras went quietly in the second, the Vipers loaded the bags with three-consecutive walks with nobody out. Nevertheless, Weins came on in relief to strike out the side and keep the game at a standstill.
The Cobras then struck for four runs in the third inning. Weins singled with the bases loaded, Josh Bentley knocked in two with a single and Elsen’s shot off the wall in deep center accounted for the scoring and left the Cobras with a 6-2 lead they would not relinquish.
In the bottom half of the third, a fun matchup between hard-throwing Weins and Vipers slugger Matt Hvorka materialized. Hvorka fought off some tough pitches and drew a walk to give the Vipers runners on first and second with one out, but they were unable to score. Weins slammed the door with a nice defensive play from the mound to end the inning.
The Cobras broke things open in the fourth on RBI’s from Joey Utz, Jake Brasen, Josh Bentley and Elsen. When the dust settled the Cobras had an 11-2 lead, however, the Vipers were not about to quit.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Vipers’ Tony Kampf coaxed a walk to help fuel a rally that culminated with a two-run double from Devon Slattery that cut the deficit to 11-5. But it was another Kampf who snuffed out the rally as the Cobra’s Jacob Kampf snared a hard grounder at second base for the third out to keep the lead at six runs.
After the Cobras’ Patrick Hoak drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth to make it 12-5, the Vipers brought on Tommy Louch to extinguish the rally with a steady diet of smoke that resulted in three consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.
Travis took over in the bottom of the sixth with some nice mound work that would seal the win for the Cobras. Working quickly and showing good command, Travis worked around a walk to induce three ground ball outs to finish off the Vipers. Second baseman Luke Brasen was involved in all three putouts, two of which were snared by shortstop Utz that resulted in force plays and one of which ended the game.
“I was satisfied that we were able to hit and that we got some good pitching,” Weins said.
Timely hitting, good pitching and solid defense? It is only one game, but a better start could not have been scripted by even the most optimistic of managers.
Cobra Sports Writer ~ Rob Price