By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
With just three regular-season games remaining, the East Troy Express Land O’ Lakes baseball team continues to hang onto second place in the Southwest Division.
East Troy made sure of that Sunday with a doubleheader sweep over the visiting Wales Royals to improve to 9-5 overall. Burlington is on top of the standings at 12-1, while Genessee and Waterford are just percentage points behind the Express.
East Troy traveled to Waterford Wednesday night. Results were unavailable by press time.
In the opener, East Troy needed little time to take control, as it scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back en route to a 7-2 victory.
Jory Tess began the rally with a single and scored on an RBI double by Ryan Kehl. After a singles by Matt Lang and Jeff Tess drove in two more, East Troy added to its lead when Travis Krauss was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, followed by a three-run double by Jory Tess.
And that was all the offense starting pitcher Todd Nabor would need, as he worked the first six innings to pick up the win. Nabor allowed five hits, two walks and struck out nine before he gave way to Jory Tess to work the seventh.
Tess struck out the game’s final hitter to seal the win for the Express.
Lang led the offense with three hits and a stolen base, followed by Jeff and Jory Tess with two hits and two RBI.
The second game of the twinbill was rain-shortened, but again the Express’ offense was hot from the start in a 10-0 win.
East Troy scored twice in the second inning, followed by two more in the third on a fielder’s choice by Al Loth and a run-scoring single by Jeff Tess.
East Troy put the game away in the fourth, as Jory Tess, Kehl and Lang all collected RBI.
Kehl led the way with three hits, while Lang, Jory Tess and Krauss had two each. Loth picked up the win, as he fanned five batters in five innings on the mound.
After Wednesday’s game with Waterford, East Troy travels to Dousman Saturday, July 27, at 3 p.m. to take on the Frogs. The Express wrap up the regular season Sunday, Aug. 3, when they host the Rome Raiders at 1:30 p.m.
