Fielders walk-off in final game versus Kings

Chad Rebecca’s three-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Lake County Fielders to a 5-4 victory over the Kenosha Kings on Monday night at Fielders Stadium in Zion, Ill.

Rebecca’s bases-clearing hit off Kings reliever John Snelten provided a dramatic ending to the exhibition series between the teams, with the Fielders winning the series pitting professionals versus amateurs 9-8.

Lake County won the final three games in the series.

“It wasn’t disappointing overall. It was storybook without the storybook ending,” said Kings manager Tim Pulizzano, whose team concluded its 27th season.

“It was nice to know we can pretty much play with anybody. Hopefully, the community gets more aware of what it has in front of them.

“After all the minor league and Northern League and Frontier league teams through here, we’ve been here (in Kenosha) for a long time.”

The Kings took a 4-1 lead with a three-run seventh that included Paul Pulera’s RBI single, Matt Soderlund’s run-scoring suicide squeeze bunt and John Hasser’s RBI single.

Hasser (2-for-4, RBI) and Jason Dennis (2-for-3, double, run) paced Kenosha’s eight-hit attack.

Kings starter Travis Vanderwall took a no-decision after allowing seven hits and one earned run in seven innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Kings reliever John Kleinmeyer started the ninth before handing the ball to Snelten with two outs.

Story by: The Kenosha News
Photo by: Fielder Photographic Studio