Sartell Muskies Amateur Baseball Team

Upcoming Events:
Winter Meetings

2007 RECAP

After a breakthrough 2006 season, the 2007 Sartell Muskies largely repeated their success. The Muskies won the Lakewood League west division and finished with a 24-13 overall record.

One achievement was not duplicated, as the Muskies fell 1 inning short of returning to the state amateur tournament. In 2006, Sartell made the state tournament for the first time in 13 seasons.

The Muskies featured an improved offense this season, scoring more than 7 runs per game. Left fielder Tim Burns had a stellar season, leading the team in almost every offensive statistic. Burns had a .419 batting average and led the team in runs (37), hits (52), home runs (7), and RBI (36). He also stole 10 bases and played errorless defense.

Cleanup hitter Josh Rathbun hit 4 home runs and drove in 35 runs while batting .333. Center fielder Dan Gaughan batted .400 and led the team in on base percentage (.466), while right fielder Adam Schellinger batted .299 and led the team with 11 stolen bases.

Second baseman Brian Schellinger batted .343 and stroked a team high 10 doubles. Infielders Chris Feneis (.327) and Ryan Bottini (.307) also produced high batting averages, while rookie Jim Gabrielson hit 3 home runs.

Dave Schlangen led a strong pitching staff with 8 wins and posted a 1.73 ERA over 89 innings. Reliever Shawn Schoen posted a team best 1.44 earned run average. Casey Allar had a 2.25 ERA and won 4 games, 2 of them in the post season. Steven Fish won 5 games and tossed 61 innings.

The Muskies were managed this season by 19-year veteran Randy Beckstrom. Other team members are pitchers Travis Weaver, David Deminsky and Pete Johnson; outfielder Nate Strenge; catchers Chad Yarmon and Brandon Knettel; and infielders Mickey Knettel, Mike Doeden, and Jayson Hron.

STATS

Complete stats are now posted online, links below:
2007 complete stats
2007 stats leaderboard
Updated Record Book

SAYING "THANKS"

The Muskies would like to thank their families, friends and fans for another summer of undying support. Thanks are also due to Dean Schellinger and Brian Allar for their work on public address and scoreboard operation; to Jennifer Hron for her work on promotions; to concessionaires Sarah Schellinger and Laura Burns; to photographer Anthony Bottini, and to the Sartell Baseball Association for their support and cooperation.

The Muskies would also like to thank these sponsoring advertisers for purchasing signs at Champion Field. Their support is vital to the Muskies; please patronize these local businesses.

NAPA Auto Parts
DeZurik Water Controls
House of Pizza
Blackberry Ridge Golf Club
East Side Glass
Wells Fargo
St. Cloud Hospital / CentraCare
Image Builders
Riverside Dental
Omann Insurance
Traut Wells
Crever Construction
West Side Liquor
Steven Gabrielson Law

MUSKIES MISS OPPORTUNITIES AND STATE
Monday, August 13

The Sartell Muskies entered Saturday needing just one win to return to the state amateur baseball tournament, and had two chances to earn that win.

The team came within 3 outs of reaching that goal, losing a decisive 7-6 game to the Freeport Black Sox when Freeport scored 2 runs in the bottom half of the 9th inning. Earlier in the day, the Muskies lost a 6-0 contest to the Sauk Rapids Cyclones.

Sauk Rapids and Freeport each advanced to the state tournament, while the Muskies failed to repeat their 2006 state tournament appearance. SartellÕs season was otherwise successful and ends with a 24-13 overall record.

The first inning of the day set the tone for SartellÕs downfall. It appeared the Muskies would take an early lead when Josh Rathbun delivered a single with Tim Burns already on second base. However, a perfect throw by Sauk Rapids leftfielder Nate Larson narrowly cut down Burns for the third out.

In the third inning, Sartell missed another opportunity when Brian Schellinger was thrown out at home, again for the third out. At that point, the Muskies had earned 5 hits and 7 baserunners in 3 innings, but had failed to score. The rest of the way, Cyclones pitcher Nate Swan shut down the Muskies on just 2 more hits.

The loss to Sauk Rapids set up a showdown with division rival Freeport, with a state tournament berth awarded to the winner.

The Muskies got off to a poor start, giving Freeport 3 runs in the first inning on 2 errors and 2 hit batters. Sartell also had another runner thrown out at home plate when Dan Gaughan attempted to score on a Mickey Knettel single in the 2nd inning.

The Muskies did score once in that inning, and took the lead with a 5-run outburst in the 4th inning. Mike Doeden and Adam Schellinger notched RBI singles, followed by Brian SchellingerÕs 2-run double over the center fielder.

From there, the team looked to ace pitcher Dave Schlangen to hold the 6-3 lead. The persistent Freeport offense had whittled the lead to 6-5 entering the 9th inning, and the Black Sox clearly had the momentum. Exhausted by a high pitch count and warm temperatures, Schlangen yielded 2 quick hits and was lifted for reliever Shawn Schoen. Schoen was asked to save the season with an extremely difficult save situation, but yielded RBI singles to Grant and Chad Hess to end the game.

Sartell Muskies center fielder Dan Gaughan collides with Freeport catcher Chad Hess as he leaps to catch a high throw.
Photos courtesy of Anthony Bottini

MUSKIES 2-0 AT REGIONS
Monday, August 6

The Sartell Muskies won their 2nd region playoff game on Sunday, putting the team 1 win away from their second straight state tournament berth. The team beat the Granite City Grays 3-1.

The Muskies took an early led in the Granite City victory. Leadoff hitter Adam Schellinger opened the game with a walk, and advanced to third base on 2 singles. He scored on a sac fly by first baseman Josh Rathbun.

Tim Burns manufactured Sartell's second run in the third inning. He drew a 2 out walk, stole second base, and scored on Rathbun's RBI single. Burns had stellar game, going 3-for-3, drawing 2 walks, stealing 2 bases, and driving in 1 run. The leftfielder also made the defensive play of the game, making an over-the-shoulder catch just in front of the outfield fence during the sixth inning. With 2 runners on base, this catch likely prevented Granite City from tying the game at 3-3.

Muskies pitcher Casey Allar was also stellar. He allowed just 5 hits, 1 walk, and 1 earned run. Allar struck out 9 Grays batters and worked all 9 innings.

The Muskies will continue region play on Saturday, August 11, at 11:00 AM. Sartell will challenge the Sauk Rapids Cyclones, who are also 2-0 in the tournament. The loser of the Sartell/Sauk Rapids game will play again at 4:00 PM Saturday with a second chance to qualify for state.

All region games are played in Sauk Rapids at Bob Cross Park. The St. Joseph Saints and Freeport Black Sox also remain alive in the tournament with 1-1 records.

Photos courtesy of Anthony Bottini

MUSKIES WIN REGION OPENER
Sunday, August 5

The Muskies used a strong pitching performance, a persistent offense, and a number of opponent errors to beat the St. Joseph Saints 7-1.

Dave Schlangen threw a gem for Sartell, limiting a strong St. Joe lineup to 5 hits and 1 unearned run. He struck out 6, hit 1 batter, and walked none.

With the scored tied 0-0 after 4 innings, the Muskies got an unearned run in the 5th. Jayson's Hron 2-out single drove in 2 more runs in the 6th inning. Hron advanced to second base on an outfield error and scored on Ryan Bottini's RBI single.

Brian Schellinger and Dan Gaughan were each 2-for-5 in the game. Hron finished with 3 RBIs.

The Muskies continue region play on Sunday, taking on the Granite City Grays at 11:00 AM. All region 10C games are at Bob Cross Park in Sauk Rapids.

Muskies 000 013 021 7 9 2
St. Joseph 000 000 100 1 5 9

Photos courtesy of Anthony Bottini

BIG INNING SENDS MUSKIES TO DEFEAT
Sunday, July 29

For 3 innings Saturday, the Muskies looked great. Starter Steven Fish retired the first 9 Black Sox batters, and the Muskies jumped on Freeport starter Nate Winter for 3 runs in the first inning, and another run in the second inning.

Leading 4-0 in the top of the fourth inning, the results changed quickly. Freeport sent 13 batters to the plate and scored 8 times, getting 7 hits, 2 walks, and 1 Muskie error. Fish allowed 5 of those hits before being relieved, including a game tying 3-run homer by Grant Hess.

The big inning lifted Freeport to a 8-5 win over Sartell, and crowned the Black Sox the division playoff champions. Freeport will move on to the region tournament as the #1 seed, and Sartell will advance to the same tournament as the #2 seed from the Lakewood west division.

The 6-team region tournament begins Saturday, August 4, with all games in Sauk Rapids at Bob Cross Field. Sartell plays the opening game at 11:00 AM against the St. Joseph Saints. The Muskies will also play on Sunday at either 11:00 AM (if they win Saturday) or 4:00 PM (if they lose).

Catcher Josh Rathbun jump started the Muskies offense, driving in 2 first inning runs with a double. He then scored on Jayson Hron's RBI single. Mike Doeden and Brian Schellinger added RBI singles in the second and fifth innings, respectively. Tim Burns led the offense with 3 hits, while Ryan Bottini and Hron each had 2.

Photos courtesy of Anthony Bottini

Muskies Eliminate Blues
Monday, July 23

The Sartell Muskies ended the season for Litchfield on Wednesday night with an 11-3 Lakewood West playoff victory over the Blues.

Casey Allar pitched eight strong innings with the heat index climbing to the century mark. He scattered 7 hits and struck out 5 to earn the victory.

At the plate, Josh Rathbun was 3-for-5 with a double, HR and 3 RBI. Adam Schellinger was 2-4 with 2 RBI and Brian Schellinger was 2-5 with a stolen base.

Rathbun and Tim Burns hit back-to-back homers in the eighth.

Sartell now plays host to Freeport at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. If Sartell wins, the teams will play again Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in Sartell.

Photos courtesy of Anthony Bottini

Muskies Split A Pair Of Playoff Games Over the Weekend
Monday, July 23

The Sartell Muskies split a pair of Lakewood League playoff games last weekend, thumping Litchfield on Saturday 14-4, and losing 8-5 to the Freeport Black Sox on Sunday.

The Muskies will play Litchfield again Wednesday night (after Newsleader press time) in the double elimination playoffs. If Sartell wins, they will host Freeport for a rematch on Saturday, July 28 at 1:30 PM. If they win Saturday, the two teams will play again Sunday to determine the division playoff title and the top seed in the region tournament.

The Muskies and the Black Sox may be switching roles this season. Last season, Freeport won the regular season but lost to Sartell in the league playoffs. Sartell also won a key game in the region tournament on their way to the state tournament. This season, Sartell won the regular season, but now needs three straight wins to repeat as playoff champions.

The Muskies started strong against Freeport, getting a solo homer from Tim Burns in the top of the first. Freeport answered in the second inning, getting 1 run on Jason Tschida's RBI double. Sartell fell behind 6-1, giving the Black Sox 2 runs in the third inning on 2 outfield errors, and yielding a 2 run homer to Ryan Tschida in the 7th inning.

In the 8th inning, the Muskies stormed back to make the game very interesting. The first 6 Muskie batters reached base, forcing Freeport to use 2 different relief pitchers. Jayson Hron, Mike Doeden, and Adam Schellinger all had RBI hits in the inning. After Brian Schellinger's sacrifice fly made the score 6-5, the Muskies stranded 2 runners to end the threat. Freeport added 2 more runs in the 9th inning to cement the victory.

Burns led the offense with 3 hits, while Dan Gaughan and Chad Yarmon each had 2 hits. Pitcher Dave Schlangen was saddled with his first loss of the season, yielding 7 hits and 4 earned runs in 7 innings. The loss drops Schlangen's record to 7-1.

In Saturdays victory over Litchfield, the Muskies used 11 hits and 13 walks to win 14-4. Burns and designated hitter Ryan Bottini each had 2 hits, while second baseman Brian Schellinger added 3 hits.

Muskies End Regular Season, Look Ahead to Playoffs
Monday, July 16

The Sartell Muskies completed their Lakewood League schedule by dropping a 4-3 decision to the Sauk Rapids Cyclones on Sunday. The team finished with a 9-5 league record this season and won the West Division regular season title (class C). That earns them a spot in the region tournament and home field advantage for all league playoff games.

The Muskies will host league playoff games on Saturday, July 21 and Sunday, July 22, with both games starting at 1:30 PM. If the Muskies lose either game, they will host a playoff game on Wednesday, July 25 starting at 7:30. The region 10C tournament begins on Saturday, August 4 in Sauk Rapids.

In the loss to Sauk Rapids, pitcher Dave Schlangen threw another strong game, allowing 1 earned run in 7 innings. For the first time in 8 starts this season, the Muskies failed to win with Schlangen on the mound. He finished the regular season with a 7-0 record, 2 saves, and a 1.29 ERA in 63 innings of work.

The Muskies did rally for 3 runs in the seventh inning, taking a 3-2 lead. Tim Burns, Dan Gaughan, and Mike Doeden contributed singles in that rally. After Schlangen was lifted for reliever Shawn Schoen, Sauk Rapids scored twice on 2 doubles and a Muskie error. Gaughan led the offense with 3 hits on the day.

Tim Burns starts the rally in the 7th inning.

Sartell Muskies 3, Ultimate Sports 1
Thursday, July 12

Casey Allar pitched seven innings, allowed seven hits and struck out 11 to in defeating Ultimate Sports 3-1 on Wednesday in Sartell. Shawn Shoen earned the save by pitching 2 perfect innings of relief striking out 4.

Adam Schellinger was 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the third inning. Brian Schellinger was also 2-for-4 with an RBI.

(Brother) Brian Shellinger at the plate for one of his hits.

Muskies Rounding the Bases
Monday, July 9

Over the weekend, the Muskies spent a lot of time rounding the bases. In the first two games of the weekend against the Pearl Lake Lakers and Carlos Cougars the Muskies rounded them more than their opponent, but came up a bit short on Sunday against the Rosters Snappers.

Friday night's game was a test of patience as the Muskies walked 12 times. Tim Burns was able to capitalize on the strikes that he saw with a homer off the road in left and a ground rule double where the ball rolled up onto the road. Brian Schellinger and Jim Gabrielson each finished 2-4 on the night to help lead the offense.

On Saturday, the Muskies rallied from a three-run deficit with two outs in the ninth inning and no one on base to beat the Carlos Cougars. Brian Schellinger ripped a two-run triple, then scored the tying run on Tim Burns' base hit. Burns eventually came around to score the game-winning run on Jayson Hron's RBI single. Randy Beckstrom had three hits for Sartell, which rallied from an early 7-1 deficit. Steven Fish pitched all nine innings to get the win on the hill.

In Sunday's game, the Muskies had 11 more hits and scored 6 times, but came up a little short losing to the Snappers 8-6. The Snappers took an early 3-0 lead in the 3rd inning, but the Muskies got 1 back in the 4th inning and 4 in the 5th inning to regain the lead. The Snappers scored 4 times in the 6th inning to take the lead for good. Brian Schellinger was 2-5 with 3 RBI and Dan Gaughan had 3 hits to lead the offense.

The Muskies will wrap up league play this week with games against Utlimate Sports and Sauk Rapids Cyclones before the league playoffs begin July 21.

Muskies Clinch Region Bid with Victory Over the Ice
Saturday, June 30

SARTELL - Brian Schellinger was 3-for-4 with three RBI — including a two-run double in the seventh inning. Brother Adam Schellinger was also 3-for-4 on the night. Dave Schlangen pitched a complete game and struck out six to pick up the win.

The 6-3 win over the St. Cloud Orthopedic Ice clinched a berth in the Region 10C tournament. The tournament will be held in Sauk Rapids this year, beginning on August 4.

Muskies Beat Bandits
Thursday, June 28

SARTELL - Tim Burns was 2-for-4 with three RBI as the Sartell Muskies scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning on the way to beating Becker 8-3 in Lakewood League amateur baseball action at Champion Field last night.

Josh Rathbun and Brian Schellinger also finished 2-for-4. One other offensive highlight was Jim Gabrielson's 2 run homer in the 8th.

Casey Allar took a shutout into the ninth inning, struck out eight and allowed five hits to pick up his first win of the season.

Muskies Drop 2
Monday, June 25

On Friday night, the Muskies traveled to Clear Lake for a league game, losing 9-5. Sartell jumped out to an early lead, getting 2 runs in the first inning on a Lakers error. After the Muskies gave back 3 unearned runs in the bottom of the first, doubles by Adam Schellinger and Brian Schellinger keyed another a 2-run rally in the top of the second inning.

Clear Lake took control of the game in the fourth inning, scoring 4 times on 2 walks and 3 hits. Tim Burns led the Muskies offense with 3 hits, while Josh Rathbun and Mike Doeden added 2 each.

On Sunday, the Muskies traveled to Detroit Lakes and lost an exhibition game 3-2. Trailing 1-0 in the sixth inning, rightfielder Nate Strenge tied the game with a 2-out RBI single. Detroit Lakes quickly responded, scoring twice in the bottom of the inning on a bases loaded single.

A solo homer by Tim Burns in the 8th inning brought the Muskies within 1 run, but they would not threaten again. Sartell finished with 9 hits, getting 2 each from Dan Gaughan and Chris Feneis.

Muskies Take Care of Field and the Saints
Thursday, June 21

Sartell 7, St. Joseph 4

SARTELL - Players sat in the dugouts in St. Joseph while the rain and hail pelted the field, watching the field start to drown. When it let up, there was no way that this game could be played in St. Joe without a set of lights. So players and fans packed in their cars and headed to Sartell to make an attempt to get Champion field ready for play. After an hour or so of the Muskie crew drying the field, this game was ready to begin.

Apparently the field work helped the Muskies get loose. St. Joseph (9-1, 14-2) remained the home team on the score board and the Muskies came out swinging in the top of the first.

Josh Rathbun hit a two-run double to start the scoring, and Ryan Bottini's two-run two-out single capped a four-run first inning rally. Bottini finished 3-4 with 2 RBI. Adam Shellinger was 3-3 and Tim Burns was 2-4 with 2 RBI.

Steven Fish threw a strong 6 1/3 innings, recording 5 strikeouts and keeping the Saints hitters off balance throughout the game.

Casey Allar came on in relief with one out in the 7th. Allar recorded 8 outs, yet he struck out 9 batters.

The stat of the game was the number of runners left on base for both teams. St. Joe stranded 16 men on base, and Sartell had 10.

Muskies Pad Division Lead
Monday, June 18

Sartell 6, Freeport 1

SARTELL - In a warm and windy Sunday game at Sartell's Champion Field, the team prevailed 6-1 over Freeport. The win improves the Muskie's Lakewood League record to 5-1, and gives them a 3 1/2 game lead in the West Division.

The Muskies played errorless defense and used an efficient offense to score 6 times on 9 hits.

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning, the Muskies used 4 singles and a hit batter to score 3 times. First baseman Josh Rathbun drove in the first run with an RBI single, and Dan Gaughan followed with another RBI hit. Designated hitter Ryan Bottini then delivered an RBI ground out to score Rathbun from third base.

Sartell added 2 more runs in the 6th inning, and 1 more in the 7th. Bottini finished the day with 2 RBIs, while Rathbun and Gaughan both finished 2-for-4 with 1 RBI. The Muskies are now 14-3 this season.

Muskies Beat Rockies
Saturday, June 16

Sartell 12, Cold Spring Rockies 2

SARTELL - Tim Burns hit a two-run home run in the first inning and finished the game 4-for-4 as the Muskies (13-3) cruised past the Rockies in eight innings in an exhibition amatuer baseball game at Champion Field.

Travis Weaver struck out seven and scattered three hits in six innings on the mound for the Muskies.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Friday, June 15

The Muskies rained out game against the Granite City Grays will be made up on Saturday night, June 30. The game will be played at 7:00 PM at either Putz or Faber fields.

Also, with the permission of the Sartell City Council, the Muskies will sell beer at this Sundays (6/17) game against the Freeport Black Sox. If everything goes well, the Muskies will also sell at selected future games this season, and regularly in 2008.

Trobec's Bar and Grill of St. Stephen will cater the beer sales. The Muskies hope this will attract new fans to the ballpark.

Muskies Beat the Saints
Thursday, June 14

The Muskies traveled to Dassel to take on a Saints team that had been on a roll. The Saints were 13-1 coming into the game, but the Muskies came out ahead in this one 5-1.

Steven Fish and Casey Allar slowed their offense Wednesday night, giving the Muskie offense room to breath. Fish threw 6 solid innings allowing only 2 hits and no runs. Allar then came on in the 7th to hold and save the victory.

For the Muskies 8 of the 9 starters each smacked at least 1 hit in this game. Ryan Bottini had a big night at the plate going 3-4 with a double, walk and 3 RBIs to pace the offense. Dan Gaughan was also 2-for-4 with a walk.

Summerfest Success
Monday, June 11

The Sartell Muskies amateur baseball team won games on Friday night and Sunday afternoon, while in between they marched in the Summerfest parade and hosted a 1860s style baseball exhibition.

The team defeated the Litchfield Blues 7-1 on Sunday, getting 7 shutout innings from ace pitcher Dave Schlangen. The win improves the Muskies Lakewood League record to 4-1, and improves Schlangen's pitching record to 4-0.

Centerfielder Dan Gaughan led the offense against Litchfield. He opened the scoring with a second inning RBI single. He added a 2-run double in the sixth inning and another RBI double in the seventh, finishing 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs.

First baseman Josh Rathbun also finished 3-for-4, while second baseman Mickey Knettel hit a solo homer.

Prior to the Litchfield game, the Muskies hosted a "vintage" baseball game in coordination with the Centennial Summerfest committee. A team of 13 year-old Sartell Babe Ruth players challenged the Minnesota Quicksteps Vintage Base Ball team to a game played with the rules, equipment, and customs of the year 1860. The Sartell youth were defeated 11-1, falling behind 7-0 in the first inning as they adjusted to the old time rules.

The game was played with a softer, hand made ball, and the fielders wore no gloves. The Quicksteps entertained the Summerfest crowd with vintage uniforms and the games emphasis on gentlemanly sportsmanship. "Well struck, Sir", they would shout when a ball was well hit by the batter, or "striker" in 1860s parlance. Mary Tholkes, the wife of Quicksteps leader Bob Tholkes, roamed the crowd in her period dress and hoop skirt while showing off vintage baseball equipment and sharing historical anecdotes.

On Friday night, the Muskies earned a 5-3 comeback victory over the Upsala Blue Jays. After falling behind 2-0, third baseman Ryan Bottini delivered a 2-run single in the sixth inning, putting the Muskies up 3-2. Manager Randy Beckstrom earned the pitching win with 3 innings of relief work. He allowed 1 run and 4 hits in 3 innings.

Muskies Get Dominated
Thursday, June 7

Hats off to Cold Spring Springers ace Zach Femrite, who showed why he is one of the top pitchers in Minnesota amateur baseball. Femrite held the Muskies to 1 hit in a complete game shutout Wednesday night in Cold Spring. Femrite issued no walks while striking out 16.

Mickey Knettel led of the Muskies 6th with a bunt single. Sartell had only 3 baserunners on the night, the other 2 coming on back-to-back hit batters in the 8th.

Muskies Win Omann Insurance Invite
Sunday, June 3

The Muskies offense led the team to the title of the Omann Insurance Invite, a tournament they hosted. The team scored 28 runs in 2 games while pounding out 27 hits, including 9 doubles and 3 home runs.

Sartell opened the tournament with a 13-1 win over St. Martin. Eleven Muskies garnered hits in the game, including 2 apiece from Jayson Hron and Jim Gabrielson. The scheduled 7 inning game ended by the 10-run rule in the 6th inning. Tim Burns hit a 3-run homer on the games final play.

Dave Schlangen earned the win against a St. Martin club that is coached by 2 of his uncles and includes 2 cousins in the starting lineup. The Muskie’s Schlangen allowed 5 hits, 1 walk, and 1 unearned run.

In the tournament title game against the Brainerd Braves, the Muskies hit 4 first inning doubles and scored 4 times. They led 11-1 after 3 innings, getting a solo home run from Josh Rathbun. Tim Burns hit another 3-run homer in the 7th inning, and had 5 RBIs in the game.

Brainerd defeated Wadena-Deer Creek 7-5 in the other first round game. St. Martin then defeated Wadena-DC 7-6 in a consolation game that went 1 extra inning.

Earlier in the week, the Muskies were rained out of a Wednesday exhibition against St. Stephen.

Big Weekend for Weaver, Rathbun and Rookies
Monday, May 28

Over the weekend, the Muskies picked up 2 more wins by defeating the Sauk Rapids Jimmy's Hurricanes 10-1 in an exhibition game Friday night, and a key 3-1 victory over conference opponent Sauk Centre Titans on Saturday.

In Friday night's game, Travis Weaver threw 7 solid innings allowing just 1 run.
Rookie Jim Gabrielson hit his first career homerun as a Muskie and Josh Rathbun followed that up later in the game with a Grand Slam over the left center field fence.

On Saturday, Rathbun tied the game in the top of the seventh with an RBI double, and scored on Gabrielson's go ahead RBI single. Rookie David Deminsky scattered five hits over
6 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Clear Lake Game Has Been Set
Wednesday, May 23

The Clear Lake game from Saturday's umpire postponement has been re-scheduled for Friday, June 22. Game time is set for 6:15 in Clear Lake.

In other news, the Muskies dropped an exhibition game to the Avon Lakers 7-2. Everyone got some good work in and hopefully learned a few things from this one.

Muskies Beat Hurricanes
Sunday, May 20

Sauk Rapids 000 000 002 2
Sartell         020 020 20X 6 W - David Schlangen (2-0)

SARTELL, MINN. - David Schlangen whirled eight scoreless innings Sunday, guiding the Sartell Muskies to a 6-2 win over Sauk Rapids in Lakewood League action.

Schlangen, who improved to 2-0 on the season, struck out eight and surrendered just a single hit on a day that saw the Muskies move to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Lakewood League. The Sauk Rapids Jimmy's Hurricanes dropped to 6-3 overall and 2-1 in the Lakewood with the loss.

A balanced offensive attack paced Sartell, with six Muskies collecting hits. Third baseman Jayson Hron was 3-for-4 with an RBI, Chris Feneis was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, and Dan Gaughan was 1-for-2 with two RBI and two walks.

Gaughan started the scoring for Sartell, delivering a two-strike single to plate Josh Rathbun and Feneis in the second inning. The Muskies marked again in the fifth when Brian Schellinger drove in Feneis and Adam Schellinger with a two-out single. Sartell closed the scoring in the seventh with a sac fly RBI from Adam Schellinger and a two-out RBI single from Hron.

Schlangen took care of the rest, keeping Sauk Rapids in check. The Jimmy's scored two runs off the Muskies' bullpen in the ninth on a home run from Aaron Schultz before Sartell's Shawn Schoen fanned John Schultz for the final out.

Muskies and Lakers stood up by Umpire
On a day that looked to be perfect in terms of weather and playing field conditions, both teams were ready to start a classic Lakewood League matchup on Saturday. There was one person that stood in the way. The umpire was a no-show which moves this game back to a later date in the schedule.

Deminsky to NJCAA World Series
Pitcher David Deminsky and the Ridgewater College Warriors are one of 8 teams to qualify for the Div. III Junior College World Series. Deminsky will join the Muskies when the Ridgewater season ends.

Deminsky's effort helped the Warriors win the region 13 tournament last weekend. After Ridgewater dropped their opening game Friday morning, Deminsky pitched the Warriors to a Friday night win. On Sunday, Deminsky pitched on short rest and beat St. Cloud Technical College 8-1 to force a winner-take-all final game. For the tournament, Deminsky pitched 14 innings and allowed 3 earned runs.

For the season, Deminsky is 8-0 with a 2.33 ERA. In 51 innings, he has recorded 72 strike outs, 16 walks, and allowed 44 hits.

Muskies Over Gussies
Muskies---- 240 001 7 9 0 W - Beckstrom, 2-0
St. Augusta 201 001 4 7 2

ST. AUGUSTA - The Muskies defeated St. Augusta 7-4 in a game shortened to 6 innings by darkness. The Muskies tacked on 6 runs in the top of the 7th, making the score 13-4. Because of the long half inning, it was too dark to complete the 7th inning.

Jayson Hron and Tim Burns both contributed 2 hits and 2 RBIs. Dan Gaughan had 2 hits and 3 RBIs.

Muskies Earn Degrees
Congratulations to 4 Muskies who completed college this year.

Outfielder Tim Burns earned a degree from the University of North Dakota, while outfielder Adam Schellinger graduated from St. Cloud State.

Firstbaseman Chris Feneis completed studies at St. John's University in December, then walked in Commencement on Mother's Day. Infielder Mike Doeden, who will rejoin the team in June, earned his degree from North Dakota State.

Muskies Beat Brainerd
Sunday, May 13

Bees 000 001 10    2 9 4
Muskies---- 020 302 32 12 14 1    W - Schlangen, 1-0; HR - Rathbun

Josh Rathbun's 2nd inning 2-run homer fueled a 14 hit Muskie attack, as the Muskies topped the Brainerd Bees 12-2 in 8 innings. Rathbun finished the day 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs. Five other Muskies also collected 2 hits, while Steven Fish added 3 RBIs.

Starter Dave Schlangen worked 7 strong innings for the win. He allowed 1 earned run on 7 hits while striking out 9 and walking none.

Muskies Beat Brewers
Wednesday, May 9

Luxemburg 001 110 100   4 11 6
Muskies---- 011 106 02x 11 9 3    W - Beckstrom, 1-0

Josh Rathbun's 6th inning, bases loaded double broke open a 3-3 game. Dave Schlangen hit another 2-run double during the same 6-run rally. Travis Weaver led the Muskies with a 2-for-2 night. Mike Schmidt led Luxemburg with 4 hits.

Three Muskies pitchers combined to strike out 16 Brewers. Starter Shawn Schoen allowed 1 earned run in 4 innings. Randy Beckstrom earned the win with 3 innings of relief. He struck out 6 while allowing 5 hits and 2 runs.

Muskies Lose to Weather, Holdingford
Saturday, May 5

H'ford-- 051 002 010 9 13 6
Muskies 004 010 003 8 7 5    L - Fish, 1-1

After a Friday night rainout, the Muskies hosted the Holdingford Express for a Saturday night game. Holdingford jumped out to a 6-0 lead after 2 and-a-half innings. The Muskies rebounded with a 4-run 3rd inning, highlighted by Adam Schellingers 2-run double.

Trailing 9-5 in the bottom of the 9th, the Muskies mounted a 2 out rally. Chris Feneis's 2-run double made the score 9-8, but he was stranded on 2nd base to end the game.

Feneis led the offense with 3 hits and 3 RBI. Brian Schellinger had 2 hits, including an RBI triple. For the Express, Chris Ebnet and Gary Meier were both 4-for-5.

New Muskies Apparel In Stock

Newly designed t-shirts will be available for sale at all Muskies home games this season. The t-shirts are available in adult (white or navy) and youth sizes (white only) for only $10.

Women's tank tops ($12) will also be available in light blue, as will Muskie hats ($17).

Jackets and fleece pullovers are also available by special order. Call Pete at 493-2267 for information. These items are also new this season and will be worn by many of the Muskie players.

Muskies Open With A Win
Sunday, April 29

Muskies 000 311 100 6 13 1 W - Fish, 1-0; S - Schlangen, 1
Clarissa 000 001 000 1 5 4

CLARISSA - The Sartell Muskies amateur baseball team began their 2007 season with a 6-1 win over the Clarissa Flyers. The Muskies traveled to Clarissa on Sunday, April 29. Leadoff hitter Adam Schellinger paced the Muskies offense with 3 hits and 2 runs scored. Brian Schellinger, Josh Rathbun, and Dave Schlangen each added 2 hits.

Starting pitcher Steven Fish earned the win with 3 scoreless innings. Schlangen picked up a save with 3 scoreless and hitless innings of relief, while Shawn Schoen added 2 scoreless innings. For the game, four Muskies pitchers combined to strikeout 10 Flyers while allowing 5 hits and 5 walks.

Team Announces Special Events for 2007

The team has two special events planned this season.

On Saturday, June 2, the team will host a 4 team tournament at Champion Field. The Omann Insurance Invitational will begin at noon with the Muskies hosting the St. Martin Martins, also a state tournament team last season. The tournament will also feature the Brainerd Braves and the Wadena-Deer Creek Shockers

On Sunday, June 10, the Muskies will create a unique doubleheader in coordination with the Sartell Centennial celebration. At 1:00 PM, the Minnesota Quicksteps will challenge a Sartell youth team to a game of "vintage" baseball. Vintage baseball is baseball as it was played in 1860, a milestone year in the games development and our nations history. The Quicksteps entertain at several historical festivals each summer, clad in 1860-style uniforms and using authentic reproductions of equipment from that era.

Following the Quicksteps game, the Muskies will play the Litchfield Blues beginning at 2:30.

Muskies Set 2007 Roster

The Muskies will lose at least 2 players this season while adding 3. Pitcher/outfielder David Deminsky and catcher Jim Gabrielson have committed to the Muskies for 2007. Both are 2006 graduates of Sartell HS.

Deminsky is currently pitching for Ridgewater College In high school, he twice earned all-conference honors and was selected to play in the Lions all-star series. Gabrielson is playing baseball at the University of St. Thomas and was all-conference during his senior season.

The Muskies also expect to add infielder Mike Doeden, who played with the Muskies during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Doeden batted a combined .322 and led the team in stolen bases both seasons.

Doeden will be needed to replace shortstop Eric Oscarson, who leaves the Muskies after 4 seasons to play for the Chaska Cubs The Muskies will also miss second baseman Brian Kampa. He will sit out the baseball season due to a shoulder injury he suffered while playing football for SCSU.

Record Book is Complete

The Muskies record book (2003-2006) has been posted on the statistics page. The record book includes season and career leaders in 15 offensive categories and 7 pitching categories.

2006 Recap: A Breakthrough Season

After years of mediocrity, everything turned up roses for the Sartell Muskies this season. The club enjoyed a superb 2006 campaign, reaching several milestone accomplishments. After a 10-19 record last season, a successful season was a thrill for the team and its fans.

Among the milestones this season:
- 25-12 overall record.
- 9-4 Lakewood League record, finishing 2nd place in the West division.
- West Division playoff champions, winning 3 of 4 games.
- Qualified for the regional tournament for the first time in 7 seasons, and finished 2nd in the 6-team tournament.
- Qualified for the state amateur tournament for the first time in 13 seasons.

The breakthrough season ended with a first round loss in the state tournament. The team lost 4-1 to the Rochester Blues. Rochester went on to finish third in the state tournament.

The team began this season with a solid nucleus of veterans and a few young players who launched a rebuilding effort in 2004. They added a talented half dozen new graduates of the Sartell Sabres high school teams, plus 2 ?free agents? who recently moved to Sartell.

Pitcher Dave Schlangen joined the Muskies after 12 seasons elsewhere, mostly with the powerhouse Cold Spring Springers. He anchored the pitching staff, leading the team in wins, innings pitched, earned run average, and other categories. In 91 innings, he allowed 68 hits and struck out 69 batters. He won a team high 7 games and compiled a 1.18 ERA.

Casey Allar, who also pitches for Bemidji State University, won 4 games and posted a 3.97 ERA over 66 innings. He also batted .327 this season.

Rookie lefthander Steve Fish threw 60 innings and won 6 games, while Travis Weaver earned 4 wins with a 2.56 ERA over 32 innings. Shawn Schoen transitioned from starting pitcher to closer this season. He converted all 8 save opportunities, posting a 1.74 ERA.

Third baseman Jayson Hron led the team in several offensive categories. Hron joined the Muskies this season after moving to Sartell and is a veteran of 10 amateur baseball seasons. He compiled a team-leading .412 batting average, and also led in doubles (10), stolen bases (9), runs (29), on-base percentage (.489) and slugging percentage (.538).

Leftfielder Tim Burns led the Muskies in home runs (4), extra base hits (15), and RBIs (26) while batting .304. Burns plays collegiately for the University of North Dakota.

Rightfielder Adam Schellinger led the team in games played (35) and walks (15). He batted .313 and played stellar defense. Second baseman Brian Kampa hit .325 and had 3 triples.

Veteran infielder Mickey Knettel hit .311 with 2 home runs. Josh Rathbun hit 3 homers, second best on the team, while Ryan Bottini hit 2 homers and drove in 15 runs.

Catcher Chad Yarmon was the team?s unofficial captain, providing important leadership and good defense. Eighteen-year veteran Randy Beckstrom took over as manager this season. He led the resurgence, and is also the last remaining member of the state champion 1992 Muskies.

Other members of the team were catcher Brandon Knettel; outfielders Dan Gaughan and Nate Strenge; pitcher Pete Johnson, and infielders Chris Feneis, Eric Oscarson, and Brian Schellinger, and assistant coach Evan Oscarson.