Benders’ rally clips Flames

PLYMOUTH – The Plymouth Flames blew a 6-1 lead as they fell to the West Bend Benders, 11-9, in baseball action Wednesday night at Loebe Field.

Plymouth slipped to 3-2 in the Northern Division of the Land O’ Lakes Baseball League. The Benders improved to 1-4 in the division.

The Flames jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings, keyed by a five-run first. Dusty Medved’s tworun double ignited the outburst in the first.

The Benders erupted for seven runs in the top of the third to go up 8-6. West Bend took advantage of four hits, two walks, a hit batter and a Plymouth error.

West Bend tallied two runs in the eighth on a single by Mike Backhaus to take the lead for good, 11-9. A Flame error led to one of the runs.

Butch Cain and Dave Stecker led the Flames in hits with two each. The RBI leaders were Chris Bennin, Medved and Evan Walsh with two apiece.

Paul Klotz had a team-high three hits for the Benders. Backhaus led in RBIs with three.

Eric Gremenprez pitched three scoreless innings in relief to earn the win.

Walsh, who started on the mound for the Flames, took the loss. He allowed 11 runs but only two earned as Plymouth’s defense made three costly errors. Walsh gave up eight hits and nine walks while striking out eight in 7-1/3 innings.

The Flames will host the annual Jim Pokel Memorial Tournament, starting with first-round play Wednesday and Friday. The Flames will play the St. Peter ACs Friday at approximately 8:30 p.m., following the Grafton-Kewaskum game at 6:30 p.m.

BASEBALL
WEST BEND	11
FLAMES	9

Score by Innings
West Bend……..107 001 020 – 11 10 3
Flames………..…512 100 000 – 9 8 3
Joel Seagraves, Eric Gremenprez (7) and Matt Hotovec; Evan Walsh, Travis Christenson (8) and Dusty Medved. W –
Gremenprez. L – Walsh, 3-2. 2Bs – West Bend, E.J. Sexton, Nick Elger; Flames, Medved, ___________________________ Dave Stecker.