JUNCTION CITY, KANSAS

July 25, 2009, drive to Junction City, KS for game with Generals.
July 26, 2009,  game with Generals

(pictures enlarge with a click)

JUNCTION CITY, KS- Life on the road may be starting to get to the Midnight Sun Goldpanners. The team looked sluggish in the field, on the mound and at the plate Saturday, as they fell to the Junction City Generals 6-1 in Junction City, KS.

The Goldpanners had their opportunities early in this one, but never seemed to come up with the big play at the right time.

In the second inning, Cam Christian had a hard hit single to left field, but Josh Kalalau was thrown out trying to score from second base. In the next inning, the Goldpanners had the bases loaded with no outs, but were unable to plate even one run. On the night, 10 Midnight Sun runners were stranded on base.

Starting pitcher Tim Culligan was able to keep his team in the game, until the bottom of the 5^th inning. In the inning, Culligan gave up a leadoff hit, followed by a strikeout, another hit and three straight walks. The three walks allowed two runners to score before Culligan was removed, trailing 2-0.

Derek Speigner came on for Culligan in relief, and promptly got the first batter Austin Graham to hit a hard grounder to shortstop Trent Olezsczuk. Unfortunately Olezsczuk’s throw was bobbled by Eric Lane at second, allowing a third run to score on what may have been a double play. The next batter, had a 2-RBI single, giving Junction City a 5-0 lead.

The Goldpanners scored their only run in the top of the 6^th inning without even hitting a ball out of the infield.

Kalalau led off with a single, and advanced to second on a Joe Pratt groundout to the pitcher. Back to back infield hits by Mykal Stokes and Cam Christian plated Kalalau, cutting the Junction City lead to 5-1. The score would stay the same until a Ozzie Troconis home run in the 8^th, gave Junction City their final lead of 6-1.

The loss was the second in a row for the Goldpanners, after having previously won three straight. They will look to bounce back Sunday, when they play Junction City in the second of two games in the series.

Game 2

JUNCTION CITY, KS- They say baseball is a game of inches. On Sunday, that adage came to life in the truest form, as the Midnight Sun Goldpanners lost an excruciating 1-0 game to the Junction City Generals in Junction City, KS.

Both teams were held scoreless until the bottom of the 8^th inning, when Junction City scored with two away. Jeremy Francis checked his swing, putting a bloop single over the head of a leaping David Duetchman, allowing Josh Piper to score the only run of the game. It would hold as the final score.

Williams was phenomenal on the evening, giving up just five hits and the one earned run in eight innings of work, striking out five.

But as good as Williams was on the mound, the Goldpanners were equally anemic in the field.

On the evening they stranded 11 runners, and hit into several inning-ending double plays. They left runners in scoring position to end the 1^st, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th innings.

Midnight Sun will hit the road again on Monday, as they travel to take on the Hays Larks. Game time is set for 7 p.m.