Lumberbats near end of season

The Staples Lumberbats, playing in the Lakes and Pine (South) League, sent three players to the annual Lake and Pine All Star game played June 20 at Dent.

Dave Anderson, Jason Bachman and Justin Kolling were the Lumberbats representatives on the All Star squad.

Now nearing the end of their summer schedule, the Lumberbats, who play their home games at the Pine Grove Park ball field, have a record of four wins and 12 losses. In their more recent games, the 'Bats lost 6-1 on June 28 to the Sebeka

Stingers and on Sunday, June 21, they lost to the Wolf Lake Wolf Pack 11-1.

Their next game is Sunday, July 12, at Verndale, playing the Verndale Bison. Their next (and last) home game will be at 1:30 p.m. July 19 when they host the Nisswa Lightning. After that, the Bats will be into their playoff schedule, which begins July 25.

Shawn Motl and David Anderson share top honors for Lumberbat pitching, each with a 2-3 record. Both have pitched 34 innings, with Motl getting 26 strikeouts and Anderson 30. Motl has a 5.77 earned run average while Anderson, prior to the last two games, was at 6.23.

At the plate, Motl also carries the team's best batting average at .406, including a double and three runs

batted in.

Ryan Klingaman is at .326, with 15 hits including

four doubles. Bob Hazuka is batting .292, and has 14 hits including four doubles and the team's only triple.

Other top hitters include Jason Bachman .304; David Anderson .295; Justin Kolling.283 and Buddy Anderson .229 The latter serves as the Lumberbat's 2009 player/coach.