2025 Week 4 - Ducks 13, True Blue 7

 

True Blue took on the Ducks for the TCMABL Game of the Week for chapter 4 of the 2025 season. Although starting with only 8 guys, True Blue’s long-time ace and 2-way player, Nick Kershaw (formerly Engelken), started on the bump and shoved. Engelken’s deceptive curveball kept a solid Ducks lineup in check until the cavalry, second baseman AJ Evers and long-time True Blue Captain Dan Wenzel arrived, striking out 6 over 4 innings.

 

True Blue battled hard but unfortunately couldn’t overcome a couple big innings for the Ducks. The final score, 13-7.

 

Game Standouts:

Nick Engelken – 4 innings pitched, 6 k’s

Kyle Krob – 2 for 3, 2 HBP

Ben Hall – 2 for 4, 2R

AJ Evers – 2 for 4, 1RBI, 1R

 

 

 

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2025 Week 2 - True Blue 10, Isotopes 11

 

On a muggy June evening at Fridley High School, True Blue hosted the Isotopes in week 2; a thrilling contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats. True Blue started the game with only 8 players and quickly found themselves in a tough spot, surrendering 5 runs in the first inning. Despite the early setback, True Blue showed resilience and began clawing back at the deficit as the game progressed.

The game turned into a back-and-forth battle, with both teams exchanging blows and making impressive plays. The highlight of the game came in the top of the ninth inning when the Isotopes' 3 hitter ripped a line drive into the gap. Nick Engelken made a leaping catch that saved extra bases and will be remembered as one of the greatest catches in franchise history.

With the game hanging in the balance and down by 2 runs, True Blue ignited a thrilling comeback in the bottom of the ninth, defying the odds. AJ Evers started the rally with a single, followed by another single from long-time TB slugger, Ray Cartwright, who would later score on a Paul Zappa sac fly to tie the game. Unfortunately, True Blue couldn't maintain the momentum and ended up losing in the 10th inning.

Despite the loss, it was a fun and exciting game that showcased the determination and willpower of both teams. Ryan Most had an outstanding performance with 4 hits on the day. 2-way slugger Kyle, still tippin' on foe foes, Krob made his debut on the mound in dominating fashion, striking out 6 in 4 innings. 

 

True Blue hits the road next Sunday, taking on the Bulldogs at historic Lighted Field. 

 

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True Blue vs. Muskies: 2025 Season Opener

 

 

On a cold, sunny, breezy late afternoon, True Blue opened the 2025 season on the road in North St. Paul, facing off against the perennial powerhouse Muskies team. True Blue, coming off a disappointing 2024 28+ inaugural season where they missed the playoffs in the final week, saw original gangster Dan Wenzel return to the hill for the first time in over a year after battling a horrific broom ball injury in 2023.

The bats for True Blue were hungry for fish fry early, igniting a 3-run ambush right away in the top of the first inning. However, the formidable Muskies lineup answered by scoring 3 runs themselves in the bottom half of the first. A back-and-forth fight ensued, becoming the story of the game until superhuman Muskies' first baseman Emery Hull unleashed an unbelievable grand slam home run to straightaway left field, estimated at 487 feet. True Blue was unable to shift the momentum after this moment, eventually giving up a tidal wave of runs in the 6th inning, which they could not overcome.

True Blue put up a great fight in the final inning against Loretto Larks and Sea Donkeys flamethrower closer, Andrew Kemper. A triple, followed by a Nick Engelken double, helped get True Blue rolling. This was followed by a scary moment when Dan Wenzel took a fastball to the head, shattering his helmet ear piece. Long time True Blue slugger Ray Elias-Cartwright took a heater to the ribs as well, doing anything possible to keep the momentum going for True Blue late. Unfortunately, despite a valiant rally at the end, True Blue was unable to surmount the deficit, with a final score of 19-8.

A cool moment in the game happened when Ryan Most, True Blue's newest FA acquisition, smoked a line drive for his first hit in TCMABL. True Blue is off for Memorial Day weekend but will take the field again next on Sunday, June 1st against the Isotopes at Fridley High School.

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2023 Week 9 - True Blue at Babycakes

 

Week 9 saw True Blue take a road trip down to Burnsville to play the struggling Babycakes. With no wins to their name for the year, True Blue looked to take advantage and get a sweep as the playoffs loomed.

 

Game 1 did not go as planned for True Blue. Jake Engelken started the game and gave 3 strong innings before some bad bounces and a couple of errors led to 4 runs in the 4th for the Babycakes. True Blue was able to piece together 4 runs through 6 innings, but was unable to push a 5th across to avoid extra innings. Nick Engelken was a stalwart on the mound, putting in 6.1 scoreless innings until True Blue was finally able to push 4 runs across in the 10th inning to seal the game. A mildly stressful way to start a Sunday.

 

Game 2 went more to plan as True Blue was able to score 10 through 5, and Raymond Elias-Cartwright was dicing them up on the mound on the way to a 10-run victory in game 2. Conor O'Brien was an offensive juggernaut (again) and went 6-7 with 4 doubles and 4 RBIs on the day.

 

Next Week True Blue plays the Rams at Gleason Field in Maple Grove, looking to lock in playoff seeding as the season approaches the final stretch.

 

2023 Week 8 - True Blue at Bombers

 

True Blue was coming off a much needed win against the Saints as they faced the Bombers at 'not Concordia University field'. It was a nice but hazy day for baseball as the two teams faced off in a close divisional race. 

 

Game 1 was a combination effort from Jake Engelken and Nate Heisick on the mound. Jake went two and gave up 2 and Nate managed only two runs over 6 innings. The game was a see-saw battle that ended up in extra innings after a 7th inning comeback by the Bombers. Nate was able to come through with 2 outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th and lined a single to center field for the game 1 win.

 

Game 2 was a close game throughout, with True Blue always within striking distance during the contest. Down 5-0 through 4 innings, True Blue mounted a comeback in the 7th inning with the tying run at the plate. The 3B for the Bombers made a great play to end the game, and True Blue lost 5-2. 

 

Next week True Blue hits the road to play the Babycakes all the way down in Bloomington as they look to build momentum going into the playoffs. 

 

2023 Week 7 - True Blue at Saints
 

After a few week hiatus for the media department (in which True Blue had little success on the field) - write-ups are now back in style. Week 7 saw True Blue take on the Saints at fine field at Stillwater high school. Off of a 6 game losing streak, True Blue had some work to do to get themselves relevant again.

 

Game 1 did not go to plan, despite a good showing from True Blue in the second half of the game. The Saints were able to jump out with 4 quick runs in the first inning, and True Blue was unable to recover from the deficit, despite a late rally attempt. 8-6 Saints.

 

Game 2 looked like it was going to be heading the same direction after the Saints scored 10 runs in the first two innings, and True Blue posted a measly 1. However it was all True Blue from that point on. 5 runs in the 3rd and 6 runs in the 6th helped propel a team badly in need of a win to the victory. Conor O'Brien helped lead the way with 3 triples, and Jake Engelken added his second home run of the day to cap off a 13-12 True Blue win.

 

Next week True Blue faces the Bombers at a neutral site, willing to bring a case of Hamms to negotiate a win. 

 

2023 Week 3 - True Blue vs Colts

 

 

Week 3 of the season saw True Blue take on the Colts - a fitting name for a new born team in the league. Another beautiful, sunny day for baseball, and True Blue's second game at their new home field.

 

Game 1 saw Jake Engelken on the mound for True Blue. As someone who usually closes games for the team, he thrived in the starting role, allowing only 2 earned runs over 3.1 innings pitched. His older brother, Nick, came in in relief, and was able to product 2.2 scoreless before turning it over to Joe Ng to end the game. True Blue was able to put up 7 runs in the 2nd inning, and that was enough to win the game. Conor O'Brien led the team with 2 hits in game 1.

 

Game 2 was a Jay and Nate special, as the two combined to allow only one first inning run, stifling the Colts offense the rest of the game. True Blue wasn't that offensively minded themselves, but managed to plate 2 runs in the 5th to take home a 2-1 victory and a series sweep. 

Smooth jazz and solid pitching got True Blue through a day in which they were playing with only 8 players a good portion of the time. Next week they take on the Sea Donkeys at home in what should be a good matchup of in-division opponents. 

2023 Week 2 - True Blue at Coyotes

 

Week 2 True Blue headed to the Coyotes toy park for a shot to hit one over some 300 ft fences. The weather was reminiscent of a mid-summer day, reaching a high of 90 degrees mid day. 

Game 1 had Dan Wenzel on the hill against Alex Krieling of the Yotes. The game was close early on, with the score at 4-3 heading into the 5th inning, however the Yotes were able to get the bats going and take advantage of some timely fielding gaffs to plate 7, and soon were rolling to a 13-3 victory. True Blue had their fair share of opportunities, but were unable to amass the necessary 14 runs to win. The Coyotes as always were very solid defensively, and were able to push their runners on base across in a more consistent manner than True Blue. 

Game 2 didn't start off as pretty as game 1, as True Blue gave up 3 in the first and 2 in the second, before settling down and playing a much better defensive game the rest of the way. However the 5 run hole was too much to come back from and they dropped the game 10-3. 

True Blue looks to bounce back Week 3 against the Colts at home, looking forward to being anywhere far away from the Coyotes lineup. 

2023 Week 1 - True Blue vs Hippos

 

 

After a long offseason of rigorous training and drinking beer, True Blue was ready to start the 2023 season strong. With a few new faces on the roster, they were ready to take on a Hippos team they had never faced.

 

The two divisional rivals faced off on a beatiful Sunday at  McMurray, True Blue's new home field. Game 1 was started by Connor Huffman on the mound, but the game was decided by Conor O'Brien at the plate. Conor lead the way with 2 home runs, leading the offensive surge of 9 runs. Ray Voss, Jake Engelken, and John Peterson each added a double and 7 True Blue batters got a hit. Connor Huffman, DJ, and Jake Engelken pitched a solid 7 innings for the boys in Blue, giving up 4 runs on almost entirely walks. 

 

 

Game 2 was more of the same story but amplified. 10 True Blue batters got hits, 15 runs were scored, and 3 doubles (Alex Nelson, Conor O'Brien, Kyle Krob) were amassed in only 5 innings, and the pitching duo of Nick Engelken and Kyle Krob shut down the Hippos offense allowing only 2 runs. 

 

With a fantastic start to the season, True Blue looks to take down the mighty Yotes in week 2 after a break over the memorial day weekend. 

 

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2022 Playoffs Round 1 - True Blue vs Legends

 

After earning a playoff berth with a couple of hard fought victories over the Bombers the previous weekend, True Blue found themselves matched up with Legends. It seems just a couple of years back that both of these teams had just joined the league and were struggling to see anything but the cellar. Fast forward 7 years and both True Blue and the Legends are enjoying their 3rd straight playoff berth. 

 

The game started out with the script in True Blue's favor, able to generate 5 runs over the first 4 innings with Kyle, Tristan, Brandon, and Alex providing the firepower at the bottom of the lineup. It looked like True Blue's offense was going to cruise all day, however a strategic pitching change by the Legends stifled the True Blue bats for the rest of the day. Despite this, True Blue was riding a 5-1 lead into the 6th inning with Connor Huffman throwing a gem on the mound. Unfortunately things started to unravel from there. The Legends were able to score 7 in the 6th on a bevy of errors and walks, and True Blue couldn't recover, losing the game 11-5. 

 

True Blue saved their best baseball for the last two weekends of the year, but it wasn't enough to advance past the first round, making this their only first round exit in team history. Another fun season the books, with some new faces who added a lot of value to the team, and another great hitting year from Conor O'Brien, taking home the league batting title. Until next year. 

 

 

2022 Week 11 - True Blue at Bombers

 

Week 11 was a gloming Sunday against the Bombers at Concordia University. It is always drizzling when we play the Bombers. 

 

Game 1 was Connor Huffman on the mound back from a few week hiatus. He had no problem picking up where he left off. Against a good hitting Bombers team, he pitched 5 and a third innings, giving up 5 and keeping True Blue in it all game. The bats got hot in the first with 9 runs, and stayed hot all day. True Blue put up 5 more runs and Jake Engelken came in to shut down the last couple of innings. 15-9 True Blue. 

Game 2 was more of the same for True Blue, scoring early and often. 5 runs in the first two innings, and a solid outing on the mound by Nico Lohman gave True Blue enough momentum to carry them to a 9-3 victory. 

Everyone played well this week, the hitting bolstered by Conor O'Brien, Jake Engelken, and Dan Wenzel, each with at least 4 hits, and Ray Voss and Ben Herman with 3 walks a piece on the day. True Blue advances to the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row. With second round exits each of the last two years, True Blue looks to extend to weekend 2 this year. 

 

 

 

 

2022 Week 10 - True Blue vs Saints

 

True Blue's final home games of the year saw them facing off against the Saints - a team looking to make a final push towards the last playoff spot currently held by True Blue. After a shaky last few weeks, True Blue looked to put away a team they had some success against in the past and secure their playoff spot. 

 

Game 1 unfortunately did not go the way True Blue intended, with the Saints putting up 3 in the 2nd and 4 in the 4th. True Blue was only able to muster 3 runs on 5 hits for the game.

 

Game 2 was more of the same - True Blue only managed 1 run this game while the Saints were able to put up another 9 spot. 

 

The weekend quickly got away from True Blue - what could have been a couple of momentum building wins quickly went the other way. True Blue has to sweep the Bombers at Concordia next week to guarantee their spot in the playoffs. 

 

2022 Week 9 - True Blue vs Giants

 

Week 9 was a matchup against Gaints, a team True Blue has very successful, and very unsuccessful against. Weather was fine for this week 9 matchup and the fans were out to watch. 

 

Game 1 started out with a momentum killer, as Brandon O'Neil couldn't find the strike zone on the mound and gave up 6 early runs before Kyle Krob came in to get the last two outs of the inning. Despite the early deficit, True Blue had plenty of ball left in them in game 1, as they scored 2,2,3,1, and 1 in the 1st through 5th innings, while Kyle was able to hold the Giants to 2 unearned runs, giving True Blue the 9-8 lead after 5 innings. Unfortunately the Giants had an answer in the 6th inning, scoring 3 runs off the new pitcher for True Blue, and taking the lead they would hold for the rest of the game. 

 

Game 2 started like more of the same for True Blue, as Dan Wenzel struggled to find the zone early, resulting in 3 runs in the first and 3rd innings. Despite settling down after that, True Blue was unable to mount a comeback, having used up all their rally caps in Game 1. Giants walk away with a 6-2 victory and series sweep.

True Blue takes on the Saints next weekend, in what will be their final games at Pearl Park for the season, and possibly ever with the future of Minneapolis fields in question for the TCMABL. 

 

2022 Week 8 - True Blue at Tigers

Week 8 of the season saw True Blue take on the struggling Tigers, who came into the weekend without a win on the season. It was another incredibly hot day for baseball, and both teams struggled to maintain focus throughout the day. 

 

Game 1 saw True Blue take the lead early, and never take their foot off the neck of the Tigers. Bolstered by back to back home runs in the 2nd nning - a grand slam by Jake Engelken followed by a solo shot from Connor Huffman, along with 2 hits a piece from Conor O'Brien and Paul Zappa, Dan Wenzel was able to cruise to an easy 6 inning victory as True Blue came out ahead 14-4. 

 

Game 2 was a little more stressful for True Blue, who could never get a lead larger than 3 runs throughout the game. Another good game on the mound, as True Blue threw a committee of Ray Cartwright, Brandon O'Neil, DJ, and Jake Engelken, to hold the Tigers to only 3 runs. Runs were harder to come by, but thanks to 6 first inning hits, as well as a run Nick Engelken manufactured all by himself in the 5th, True Blue came out ahead 5-3. 

 

Next week sees True Blue take on the Giants as they head back home to Pearl Park. 

 

2022 Week 7 - True Blue at Legends

After a brief pause in our regularly scheduled programming due to the 4th of July weekend, True Blue matched up against the Legends in what is one of the more anticipated matchups of the season for both teams. 

 

Game 1 started off close, with Lucky on the mound for the Legends against Wenzel for True Blue. After a promising start getting on the board in the second inning sparked by a Jake Engelken leadoff double, True Blue was unable to push any more runs across through 7. The Legends on the other hand kept plugging away, scoring in 4 of their 6 batted frames, and eventually landing at 6 runs to beat True Blue 6-1. 

 

Game 2 was unfortunately more of the same for True Blue, as the Legends were able to slowly chip away for 8 runs, while a too little too late home run by Jake Engelken produced True Blue's only runs. 

 

Jake was probably the only notable batter for True Blue on the weekend, as they were only able to amass 2 runs on 8 hits over two games. Next week sees True Blue visiting the winless Tigers in an attempt to reverse some momentum as they head into the home stretch of the season. 

 

 

(Weeks 5-6 are omitted here due to lack of eyewitnesses)

 

2022 Week 4 - True Blue at North Stars

 

In one of the more historically fun matchups, True Blue faced off against the North Stars from northeast in the Battle for Sporty's. Temperatures started out cool, and heated up along with the personalities as the day went on. 

 

Game 1 featured Sam Nelson on the mound against Dan Wenzel. The North Stars had men on base all day, and despite holding them off for 3 innings, the North Stars were able to put up 5 runs between the 4th and 5th innnings, with some help from a double and a home run, to put them in front to stay. True Blue was unable to muster much offense, and took home a 5-0 loss to start the day. 

 

Game 2 was a great baseball game played by both teams. The pitching was strong on both sides, with both teams only scoring 3 runs through 7. Connor Huffman was dominant on the mound for True Blue, allowing 1 earned and striking out 15 over 7 innings. A intense game between the two teams had to be decided in the 8th; Ray Voss hit a walk off single to drive in Brandon O'Neil to win the game. 

 

Next week sees True Blue face off against the Yotes at Pearl Park, another matchup to look foward to as they try to gain ground in a tough division. 

 

2022 Week 3 - True Blue vs Diamond Jax

 

After a vastly different Week 1 and Week 2 performance for True Blue, they got to finish out the 3 week homestand against some familiar faces in the Diamond Jax. Another newcomer to the TCMABL, they have been a long time fixture in both La Liga Latina and the NMTBL. 

 

True Blue was anything but nice to the new kid in school in Game 1, bullying the Diamond Jax for 11 runs over 5 innings and only allowing 1 run of their own. Dan Wenzel went 4 innings and Raymond Elias-Cartwright shut the door for a solid overall pitching performance. 8 of the 10 True Blue batters recorded at least one hit, and Paul Zappa and Conor O'Brien had 2 a piece to help fuel the True Blue offense in the victory.

 

Game 2 was a much better game, with True Blue taking a 1-0 lead into the 6th inning. The Diamond Jax worked 2 runs across the board in the top of inning, but True Blue was able to respond with 4 in the bottom thanks to some timely hitting by the offense. Connor Huffman went 5.2 solid innings, only allowing 2 runs, and Brandon O'Neil came in to get the save and the win. 

 

Next week is the highly anticipated matchup against the North Stars at Van Cleve park in the battle for Sporty's (now Como Tap). 

 

2022 Week 2 - True Blue vs Babycakes

A chilly May Sunday saw True Blue take on the league newcomers, the Babycakes. Both teams were coming off of rough outings in week one, with True Blue falling to the Rams and the Babycakes being given a less than warm welcome to the league by the Bombers. 

 

Game 1 was a refreshing reminder for True Blue that they do know how to use those wooden sticks they take up to the plate, as half of their at-bats resulted in hits, putting together a team OPS of just under 1.000 for the game. Pitching had a pretty swell time of it as well, allowing no earned runs over 7 innings and striking out 14. This combination resulted in a 10-2 victory in game 1 for True Blue. 

 

Game 2 was more of the same, just more efficient for the mascotless team in Blue. In 5 innings True Blue amassed 17 runs while allowing none on the other side of the diamond, a recipe for success any way you spin it. Pitching was again efficient, allowing only 3 hits over 5 innings and striking out 8. 

 

Overall a good weekend for True Blue, despite a couple of fielding gaffs and an bruise from an errant throw (see above), they were able to cruise to victory over the team fresh out of the proverbial womb. There were too many players to name for individual shoutouts, so comfort can be had in the fact that essentially everyone had a good week. Next week sees them take on another new team, but not unfamiliar, in the Diamond Jax. This is another (home?) game at Pearl Park, the third game there in as many weeks. 

 

2022 Week 1 - True Blue vs Rams

Week 1 did not go as planned for True Blue, hoping to come out guns blazing, only to find someone replaced them with cap guns. The Rams took no damage from True Blue all day and did plenty of their own, winning Game 1 10-0 and Game 2 5-0. At least it was a nice day.

With plenty of room for improvement, True Blue takes on the newcomer Babycakes in an away game (played at home) at Pearl Park in week 2. Hopefully the performance next week warrants a longer write-up. 

 

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2021 Playoffs - Game 2 - #4 True Blue vs #1 Sea Donkeys

 

Despite True Blue rolling to victory in Game 1, nothing comes easily in the playoffs, this was proven all too soon with the quarterfinal against the Donkeys. 

 

Ben Herman and Brandon O'Neil started the game off hot with back to back hits, and True Blue scored one in the first to take their only lead of the game. Wyatt again started this best of 1 series, and unfortunately was unable to finish the first inning again with a couple of very close pitches and two outs to his name, the ball was again turned over to Dan Wenzel. After a hit, Dan was able to get out of the inning, but not before 4 runs had scored. True Blue got 1 back in the 3rd, but the Donkeys responded with 2 of their own in the bottom of the inning. It was an uphill battle for True Blue at that point, and despite Kyle Krob's valiant effort on the mound from the 3rd inning on, the Donkeys ran away with the game in the 7th inning, invoking a rarely seen mercy rule and winning 20-4.

 

Despite a frustrating end to the season, True Blue had alot of positives to look back on. They played nearly every game close, hit the ball like crazy, and had a hell of a good time doing it.

 

Until next year...

 

2021 Playoffs - Game 1 - #4 True Blue vs #5 Diablos

 

True Blue entered the 2021 playoffs as the number 4 seed after forfeiting the weekend before against the North Stars. The first round matchup was against the Diablos, newcomers to the league. After having played the first week of the season and splitting the series, things came full circle in the playoffs in what was to be a fun matchup.

 

Wyatt Zulkosky took the hill for True Blue in the first inning, and couldn't work himself out of a couple of leadoff walks and a hit by pitch, seceding the mound to Dan Wenzel 3 batters in. With the bases loaded, Dan proceeded to set the tone for the rest of the game by striking out the next 3 batters, preventing a run from scoring. True Blue never looked back, scoring 6 unanswered runs over the next 6 innings. The Diablos got one back in the 8th, but that is all the True Blue defense allowed all game, as True Blue cruised to a 6-1 opening round victory. 

 

Dan Wenzel finished the game with a stat-line of 9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, and 11 Ks as he found a way to handle Diablos all day. Conor O'Brien, Kyle Krob, John Peterson, and Ray Elias-Cartwright all had 2 hits, and Paul Zappa, Jake Engelken, and Ben Herman all had extra base hits to fuel True Blue's victory.

 

2021 Week 10 - True Blue vs. Giants

 

Rivalry month continued for True Blue as they faced the Giants in a home doubleheader. This is usually where I make a comment about the weather being absurdly hot, but the cycle was broken this week and the games were played in relatively pleasant sunny weather. 

 

Game 1 was Dan Wenzel for True Blue against a lineup that has hit the ball very well this year. Thankfully for True Blue, the defense came to play that day and was able to hold the Giants to 2 runs over 7 innings, pitching in 4 of their own with eight hits. The hitting was addictive as Ray Voss, Conor O'Brien, and Paul Zappa, batting back-to-back-to-back in the lineup, each went 2-3 with some clutch hits to help fuel the win. 

 

Game 2 started with Kyle Krob on the mound who put in a solid performance with 1 run over 4 innings. After that it was Wyatt Zulkosky for 2 innings and Alex Nelson to close the game out, all pitchers again backed by some solid defense. True Blue offense picked up a bit in this matchup, this time knocking 6 runs across with the same number of hits as the first contest. Brandon O'Neil went 3-4 and Paul Zappa had two extra base hits to keep the bats rolling.

 

Some good baseball was played in both contests, neither game was a blowout and each ended up being decided in the last few innings. Next week's contest is always a fan-favorite as True Blue face the North Stars at Van Cleve in the Battle for Como Tap (formerly known as Sporty's). 

 

2021 Week 9 - True Blue vs. Sea Donkeys

Week 9 was a matchup against the always good, always fun to play Sea Donkeys at Donaldson Park. The stage was set by another scorching hot day (noticing a trend these past few weeks?) and a little pre-game talk/drama to boot. Made for an interesting day for both sides. 

 

Game 1 saw Wyatt Zulkosky, a perennial Donkey-killer, on the mound for True Blue against a deservedly-respected Donkey's lineup. Over a nearly 5 innings, Wyatt was able to hold the Donkeys to 2 earned runs, unfortunately some shaky defense meant that 6 were scored over that stretch. The TB bats got hot in the 7th inning, but it was too little too late the game was lost 6-3. 

 

Game 2 was Dan Wenzel on the hill for True Blue. The True Blue bats stayed hot from the end of game 1 and Dan was quickly spotted to a 4-2 lead. The bats leveled off on both sides and he left with a 4-3 lead after 4. Nate, Wyatt, and Dan again worked a combined 3 innings to finish out the game, but with the bats not coming back and some questionable defense, the game was again lost to a tune of 10-4 this go around. 

 

A total of 0 earned runs were scored by the Donkey's in game 2, with 2 total throughout the whole day. Defense aside, after some heated emotions in the first game, both teams settled down to play some really good baseball to close out the day. Next week True Blue hosts the Giants at Pearl Park in another of what ended up being 3 rivalry weekends down the stretch. 

 

2021 Week 8 - True Blue vs. Saints

 

Week 8 saw a True Blue team looking to bounce back after a tough loss to the Ducks to end Week 7. The opportunity was presented to them with a pair of games against the Saints on a scorching hot Sunday in the middle of July. 

Game 1 was Dan Wenzel on the mound against Austin Dowdall for the Saints. Dan was only able to get through 4 innings to the tune of a run per inning, while Austin held True Blue to 3 through the same duration. Things went downhill pretty quickly for True Blue from that point on, as in-game frustrations led to some tempers being as hot as the mercury in the thermometer. Nick Engelken did his best to keep True Blue in the game on the mound, but a lack of defense and some sluggish bats led to a 10-6 loss game 1.

 

Game 2 was thankfully a different story for the boys in Blue, as Kyle took the mound with a fresh attitude and a clean slate. He was able to cruise through 4 innings allowing only two runs, and was bolstered by a 5 run outburst in the 3rd by True Blue, led by a double of his own and a mammoth 2 run shot from Jake Engelken. Conor O'Brien also had a fantastic game, going 4 for 4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs. Jake also shut down in the side in the 7th, after being well set-up by a solid 5th and 6th from Ray Elias-Cartwright.

 

Putting the bookended poor performances in the rear-view and riding the game 2 win, True Blue head to the home of the Sea Donkeys (Donaldson Field) in what is historically a fantastic matchup between the squads.

 

2021 Week 7 - True Blue vs. Ducks

 

After a much needed week off, True Blue faced off against the Ducks. It was another hot, sunny day for baseball, something that has become par for this summer thus far. 

 

Game 1 was a nail-biter throughout, even with True Blue's best effort to pull away. Despite amassing 9 hits, True Blue was only able to match the Ducks' run output through 7 innings with 3. Dan Wenzel threw 8 innings for True Blue, giving up 1 earned run in the process, and perhaps had his smoothest inning in the top of the 8th sending down the side in order. With new life in the bottom of the 8th inning, True Blue was able to load the bases with no outs. On a 1-1 count and the pitcher in the wind-up, Conor O'Brien decided to take matters into his own hands, stealing home and scoring on a bang-bang play at the plate. 

 

Game 2 was much less exciting in the worst way. True Blue's defense was shaky at best, and the bats had worn themselves out after the first game. It was an unremarkable 11-1 loss.

 

Paul Zappa had a notable day at the plate for True Blue, going 4-6 with two doubles, and catching all 8 innings in game 1. 

 

True Blue look to channel Game 1 and put Game 2 in the mirror as they look forward to playing the Saints next weekend at Dick Cassidy field in Minneapolis. 

 

2021 Week 6 - True Blue vs. Avengers

 

 

True Blue headed back home week 6 for a matchup with the Avengers. With steady rain for the past day or so, field conditions were a bit soggy to start out. Thankfully the rain stopped for good before Game 1, and the field eventually worked itself dry. 

 

The first game was Dan Wenzel on the hill for True Blue against Justin Freyholz for the Avengers. Dan had little trouble with the lineup over 7 innings, working a no-hitter with only two walks. He had plenty of support on the mound throughout the game, with big gams from Conor O'Brien and Paul Zappa (2 triples) boosting True Blue to a 9-0 victory.

 

Game 2 saw a bit more run production for both teams. Kyle Krob, Dan Wenzel, and Nick Engelken were able to combine efforts to get through 7 innings, giving up 8 runs in the process. Thankfully, scoring runs wasn't an issue for True Blue as they were able to amass 13 during that same period. Conor again had a big game for True Blue, going 3-4 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs. Ben Herman, Kyle Krob, and John Peterson also had multi-hit efforts in game 2, contributing to the winning brand of baseball played by True Blue. 

 

A couple of much-needed wins propelled True Blue into the all-star break and 4th of July weekend. Play will resume on July 11th with True Blue playing the Ducks at Pearl Park, looking to improve on the 4-2 home record.

 

2021 Week 5 - True Blue vs. Expos

 

 

A quick hike down to Goat Hill Park in Eagan was the setting for Week 5 of the TCMABL for True Blue. With clouds swirling overhead, True Blue battled the Expos in what was most likely the only part of the state that wasn't raining this fine Father's day. Thankfully both games were able to be played, and there were plenty of dads in attendance to witness this day of baseball. 

 

Game 1 saw 10 minutes of quick showers to start, then clear skies the rest of the way. Dan Wenzel took the mound against incumbent league ERA leader Evan Acosta. It wasn't anything special for either player that day, as both hemorraged scattered runs throughout the game. True Blue did a solid job at the plate, amassing 10 hits and 6 runs, including a solo home run by Conor O'Brien. Jake Engelken was able to lock down the last two innings, but unfortunately the deficit was unable to be overcome, resulting in a 8-6 loss. 

 

Game 2 was a different story. With both pitchers going complete games, it was a relatively low scoring affair after 5 innings despite True Blue hitting the ball hard all over the field. The Expos saw themselves with a 2-0 lead before True Blue stormed back during a storm to score 3 in the bottom of the 6th, capped off by a Cole Fisher double to the left-center gap. That short burst of rain made mound conditions rapidly deteriorate over the last inning, with both pitchers struggling to find footing, and the Expos took advantage with a run in the top of the 7th. Thankfully the advantage went both ways, and True Blue quickly loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the 7th, setting the stage for the pitcher of record Kyle Krob to send the fans home happy with a no-doubt walk-off grand slam. 

 

Bats were hot for True Blue both games, hitting alot of deep shots throughout the contest, and one finally fell for them when it mattered most. Thank you to all the fathers out there for your support, with a special shout out to Dan Krob per the request of the player of the game.

 

Next week sees True Blue heading home to Pearl Park to face the Avengers and keep the bats rolling. 

 

2021 Week 4 - True Blue vs. Coyotes

 

True Blue headed down to Woodridge Park in friendly Cottage Grove for their week 4 matchup against the Coyotes of the same city. For a couple of teams that came in with some red hot bats, this weekend's matchup was touted as a barnburner, however that was not to be the case as fans were treated to a couple of pitcher-friendly games. 

 

Game 1 featured Dan Wenzel on the mound against Adam Weber of the Coyotes. Dan was rolling through 4 innings, giving up only 2 runs on 2 hits, and was able to cruise into the 5th with a one run lead. Unfortunately that's where it ended, a couple of infield singles and a sharp line drive later the Yotes were able to tack on 4. That's where the score held as Adam was able to outlast the opposition on the way to a 6-3 victory for the Coyotes. 

 

Game 2 was another excellent pitching performance for True Blue through 4 innings as Wyatt Zulkosky looked to be in midseason form. Allowing only a scattering of hits through 4, True Blue again held the lead 2-0 going into the 5th. Again, that's where things ended up going south for True Blue. Wyatt was able to get 2 outs before the inevitable home run monster of the Coyotes reared it's ugly head, and was eventually charged with 5 runs in the inning, 2 off of the long ball. Yotes took the W with a final score of 7-2.

 

True Blue is looking to pick the bats back up where they left them against the Tomcats next week as they face the always tough Expos in a matchup at Goat Hill Park. 

 

2021 Week 3 - True Blue vs. Tomcats

 

Week 3 of the TCMABL season commenced in early June, with True Blue looking to bounce back from a couple of tough losses to the Rams the previous week. Following suit of near 100-degree temperatures on the day, True Blue's bats were hot, hot, hot. 

 

Game 1 started with the trusty lefty Wyatt Zulkosky on the hill for True Blue, and he threw a gem for 3 innings, registering only 28 pitches while seeing only 9 batters. He had plenty of run support throughout those innings as True Blue was able to register 9 runs, including a g-slam by Jake Engelken. Things got a bit shaky for True Blue in the 4th inning after Wyatt exited, giving up a quick 6 runs and putting the Tomcats right back in the game. Things stayed tight from that point out, with the game ending up tied going into the bottom of the 7th inning. After a couple of hustle baserunning plays to get guys on first and second, Ray Elias-Cartwright stepped in and was cool as the other side of the pillow, lining a ball down the left field line to drive in Jake from 2nd base and winning True Blue game 1.

 

The bats continued to follow in the rising temperatures in game 2 to the tune of 17 runs over 5 innings. Dan Wenzel on the mound had an easy day as he was able to cruise to a 5 inning complete game behind that run support, and True Blue won 17-5. 

 

It is tough to single out individual performances in this series as literally everyone on the team was hitting the ball and hitting it hard. In fact, there was not a single inning played Sunday in which True Blue did not score at least one run. In leiu of dedicating this series to a player, True Blue decided to honor Alex Nelson and family's late dog, who passed away a couple of weeks ago. Alex's mother trains service dogs for a living, so it can be assured that pup lived a long and happy life. 

 

Next week sees True Blue traveling to Cottage Grove to face the Coyotes in the toy park. Should be a fun series if the bats are anywhere near as potent as they were this week.

 

 

 

2021 Week 2 - True Blue vs. Rams

 

Week 2 featured True Blue hosting the hard-hitting Rams, who never seem to fail to live up to that moniker. Despite not playing on the Rams' home field, they were still able to rack up the runs en route to a weekend sweep of True Blue. 

 

Game 1 had encumbant starter Wyatt Zulkosky faced off against that tough lineup, and they had their way to a tune of 10 runs over 3 innings pitched. Unfortunately, as would be the theme of the series, True Blue assisted with nearly as many of those runs as the Rams earned. Ray Cartwright and Nick Engelken managed to mop up the rest of the game without too much issue. True Blue had a bit of a rally of their own, but were unable to mount a worthy comback and fell to the Rams in 6 17-7. 

 

Game 2 had Dan Wenzel on the hill for True Blue. After 4 solid innings of one-run ball, and a 4-1 lead going into the 5th, True Blue decided it was time to spot the Rams a few. A co-mingling of errors, walks, and hits gave the Rams an 8 run death blow in the 5th inning. A desperate attempt featuring a mammoth solo jack from Jake Engelken helped stop the bleeding, but could not undue the previous damage. True Blue lost game 2 10-5. 

 

True Blue looks to lick their wounds over the holiday weekend before hosting the newly rebranded Tomcats at a field yet to be determined. A bounce-back seems in order for True Blue, stay tuned. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021 Week 1 - True Blue vs. Diablos

 

Week one was a welcome one; back from a leaguewide hiatus due to one of the weirdest years most of us have ever experienced. This fine Sunday, True Blue had the pleasure of welcoming a new team to the TCMABL, the Diablos. After making the move from La Liga Latina, the Diablos were looking to make a statement in the new league.

 

Game 1 featured Kyle Krob on the hill for True Blue up against another Kyle (Gibson) for the Diablos. True Blue got off to a hot start with 2 runs in the first inning, both driven in by a double off the top of the wall by Alex Nelson. Alex would continue this hot game at the plate with two more hits, a double, and 6 RBIs. Despite this standout performance, the Diablos were able to overcome True Blue with a runaway 4th inning in which they scored 6 runs. The final tally was 13-8 in favor of the new kids on the block.

 

Game 2 Dan Wenzel took the bump for True Blue, and despite a solid performance, didn't have much to worry about thanks to the run support. True Blue was not letting another game get away from them, and quickly scored 5 runs in the first inning thanks in large part due to a grand slam by Kyle Krob. Kyle, much like Alex in the first game, had a massive day at the dish with 7 RBI's, two more hits, and a double in the second game. True Blue never took their foot off the gas, with everyone contributing to a 15-2 victory in the second game. 

 

A first week of alot of highs and lows showcased a few fantastic individual performances, as well as revealed some areas for improvment. After playing to the split week 1, True Blue looks for a sweep next week as they host the Coyotes at 10 and noon at Pearl Park in Minneapolis. 

 

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2019 Playoffs - Game 2 - Bombers

 

After a dominant performance against the Giants on the first day of playoff baseball, True Blue looked to keep the momentum rolling against the Bombers. True Blue again faced a pitcher that had foiled their efforts in the regular season, left-handed side-arm slinging Will Grodzicki. Again, True Blue looked to have a feel for it early, pouncing on him for 2 runs in the first while Kyle Krob held it down on the mount, and posing threats for each of the next few innings on offense. Unfortunately, these ended up being nothing but threats, as twice with the bases loaded and one out True Blue was unable to come through. This, in addition to a bevy of errors in the middle innings, allowed the Bombers to climb on top 8-3, and they never gave up the stranglehold, finishing with a 13-3 victory over True Blue. 

 

This was an exceptional season for True Blue, having solidified a place in the playoffs and advancing past the first round for the first time in franchise history. True Blue looks forward to development and player growth this offseason to push even further in 2020. 

 

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2019 Playoffs - Game 1 - Giants

 

2019 saw a different year in performance from True Blue, and they had a playoff berth to show for it. The first playoff game for the franchise saw them matched up against a Giants team that had True Blue's number this year, sweeping them in the regular season, and throwing a pitcher that had made mincemeat of True Blue batters the previous two years. This was not meant to be the case on this fine Saturday morning though, as the Conor O'Brien and Alex Nelson both roped line drives to center field to start the game, and Noah Danner's reign of terror over True Blue was over as he was beat up to a tune of 9 hits and 5 runs over 7 innings. True Blue's ace Wyatt Zulkosky emerged as the dominant pitcher in this game, going 5 strong with 2 hits and one run to pave the way for Brandon O'Neil to come in a pitch the remaining 4 innings of scoreless baseball. Conor and Alex both had 3 hits on the day, with Paul coming in clutch with 2 hits of his own, and Brandon drove in 2 on the afternoon to complete the takedown of the Giants 5-1. 

 

 

 

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Week 11 - True Blue vs Avengers

 

A finale to the 7 games over 8 days stretch for True Blue was a series against the struggling but potent Avengers. The weather was similar to Saturday, cloudy, not too hot, a rather perfect day for a set of ball games. 

 

Game 1 was Ray Elias-Cartwright's first start of the year, and it's fair to say he took advantage of it. A one-hit complete game shutout was the culmination of his efforts, as the crafty right-hander was able to stifle the Avengers bats all morning. The True Blue bats were able to ride this strong performance and tacked 9 runs on the board through a very diversified effort from the line-up. 5 players had at least 2 hits, and nearly every batter reached base at least once in the game. This resulted in a very solid 9-0 win for True Blue.

 

Game 2 saw a similarly strong performance from Kyle Krob, who after settling in after a 1 run inning, allowed only two hits and no runs in the rest of his 6 inning peformance. True Blue needed this strong showing on the mound to assist with the meager run production compared to the previous game. Thankfully two first inning runs proved to be enough to hold off the Avengers, and True Blue came away with a 2-1 victory and a Sunday sweep. 

 

Next week sees True Blue participating in their first playoff game in their young history, they will be facing the Giants on Saturday at a time and field location TBD, looking to make the most of this opportunity. 

 

 

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Week 9 - True Blue vs Bombers

 

Another week, another make-up game, this time with rain tempting again to make conditions unplayable, but thankfully holding off this time until later in the day. True Blue was up against the blazing hot Bombers, who won alot of their past few games (sorry I did not look up the stats here). 

 

Game One on a Saturday with an 11am start saw a matchup with rather little action from the bats despite the late start time. Nate Heisick started Game 1 for True Blue, following up his one-hit shutout against the Indians on Tuesday, he put together a very similar performance this Saturday. Going 6 innings, he gave up 3 hits and one unearned run, and True Blue was unable to pick his arm up. Facing Willie Grodzicki, who True Blue only remembered as the pitcher who went 14 innings against them their inagural year, True Blue mustered 6 hits. However these were scattered amongst all innings as they weren't able to string anything together all game, and took the very tough loss 1-0. 

 

Game 2... nuff said, look at the boxscore. Wyatt pitched admirably, stayed in too long, not enough hits, too many errors, yada yada. 

 

Tomorrow sees True Blue looking to bounce back against the Avengers at Pearl Park in what will be the last regular season weekend of the year before playoffs start next weekend. 

 

 

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Week 6 (Part 2) - True Blue vs. Expos

 

In a make-up game for the 2nd of a two game series, True Blue faced the Expos on a beautiful Tuesday evening of baseball. This turned out to be a game for the pitchers, as Nate Heisick for True Blue took the mound against the Expos' Shiyquist in a battle of arms (despite Brandon Arms not making an appearance on the mound). To a tune of 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, and 1 hit batter, Nate masterfully dealt with the Expos line-up, painting corners and keeping hitters off-balance throughout the night. However the other guy on the mound was also having his way with the True Blue batters, pitching a gem that was only tainted by a single by Tristan Whitbeck, who, after advancing on a passed ball, was driven in by a sharp line drive to right field by Paul Zappa. Thankfully that one run was all that was needed, and True Blue was able to hold on for the 1-0 victory.

 

This weekend sees True Blue facing the Bombers in a doubleheader Saturday at Concordia, followed by a doubleheader against the Avengers Sunday at Pearl Park as they resume their regularly scheduled programming after a week of make-up games. 

 

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Week 10 - True Blue vs Indians

 

After Week 9's games against the Bombers, True Blue was looking forward to getting some baseball in against the Indians after a 2 week hiatus. It was a scorcher Sunday, and game times weren't exactly short, leaving both teams a little exhausted after splitting the two games. 

 

Game one was Dan Wenzel on the mound against the Indians. While holding strong with one run against through 3 innings, a two-run home run forced Dan out of the game with a 4-3 lead in the 5th. Unfortunately True Blue was unable to hold on to the lead, despite a 3 hit performance from Alex Nelson and 2 RBIs off of 2 doubles from Tristan Whitbeck, the Indians managed to pummel the ball to a final score of 12-5 bad guys. 

 

Game two was young gun Brandon O'Neil on the mound who managed to cruise through the first 5 innings without much issue before the loading the bases with no outs in the sixth. Kyle Krob came through in a tough situation, and between Kyle and Brandon they were able to hold the Indians to 5 runs through the game. Another 3 hit game from Alex Nelson, 3 hits and two doubles from Kyle Krob, and a triple from Mike Engelken helped True Blue score 6, with a clutch run in the bottom of the 6th inning to secure the win.

 

This coming week holds 5 games for True Blue, as they play in the Expos in a single game make-up on Tuesday, the Bombers in a make-up double-header on Saturday, and the Avengers in their regularly scheduled matchup on Sunday. 

 

 

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Week 8 - True Blue vs. Coyotes

 

Week 8 saw True Blue matched up against the best team in the league both record and run-differential wise, the Coyotes. This was coming after the previous week's matchup against the team that had formerly held that honor, but unfortunately with different results. On a day that couldn't have been more perfect for baseball, it turned out baseball wasn't going to be perfect for True Blue. 

 

Game 1 was started by Wyatt, however this wasn't going to be his day. He was jumped on for 4 runs in the second inning, and the Coyotes capped off his start with back to back home runs in the 4th inning. True Blue was only able to muster 2 runs on a measly three hits as the bats refused to show up Game 1.

 

Game 2 was little different, as the trio of Brandon O'Neil, Ray Cartwright, and Nick Engelken got beat up for 9 runs over 7 innings. The bats also did not come to play despite a 2 hit, 2 RBI effort from Ray Elias-Cartwright. 

 

Despite quality baseball not being in the cards for True Blue this past weekend, they look forward to two very important games against the 2nd place Bombers as the battle for the second seed in the division heats up. The games take place next Sunday at 10 and noon at Barnes Field at Concordia University. 

 

 

 

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Week 7 - True Blue vs. Sea Donkeys

 

Week 7 saw a matchup between arguably the most consistently good team in the TCMABL... and the Sea Donkeys in what turned out to be a sweltering afternoon with temperatures reaching the upper 90s. The Sea Donkeys were quick to live up to their reputation and came out swinging in game 1 and didn't bother stopping in game 2. However, True Blue was able to muster a slugfest of their own and came away with a series split in an effort to match last year's performance against the Donks and stay in the top half of the division. 

 

Game 1 saw True Blue ace Wyatt Zulkosky match up with a very good Sea Donkeys pitcher in Andy Gaddis. Wyatt was never really able to develop a rhythm in the first couple of innings, and that's bad news against the Sea Donkeys. Emery Hull was able to take him deep once before he had to leave the mound due to beaning a few too many folks. True Blue was never really able to get much going at the plate despite the efforts of Cole Fisher and Kyle Krob who both went 2-3. The offense was otherwise dormant and True Blue got walked all over by a score of 8-2. 

 

Game 2 was a chance for revenge, and after Wyatt tossed the first inning in spite, True Blue started to get the bats rolling. Run totals of 5, 6, and 3 in innings 3, 4, and 5 put True Blue on top 14-5 early and they were able to hold on for a 14-9 victory. Conor O'Brien knocked his first ball out of the ballpark this year, and had two more hits and 5 total RBIs to round out an incredibly impressive performance. Kyle Krob continued to mash with another two hits, giving him 3 doubles on the day, and also provided a very solid 3 innings on the mound in the win. Cole Fisher also continued to hit the ball well with a 4 hit, 2 RBI performance, and Ray Elias-Cartwright notched his first ever TCMABL XBH with a double. Nick Engelken and Brandon O'Neil also provided their services on the mound in the win, rounding out a 15 hit, 14 run, 4 pitcher performance from the boys in blue. 

 

Next week sees True Blue up against an equally formidable Coyotes team that also has only one loss on the year coming into the weekend. The game will be played at the Yotes' home field in hopefully slightly more reasonable weather. 

 

 

 

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