By JODY WYNNEMER
Staff Writer
Lack of offense plagued the New Richland Reds during their regular season. The playoffs were more of the same as the home team failed to score a single run in back-to-back 1-0 losses.
Cleveland Condors 1, Reds 0
It took 13 innings to decide the first playoff contest on Saturday, July 23. Mitch Akemann held the Cleveland Condors scoreless for nine and two-thirds innings, but couldn’t get any run support. Vinnie VanEnglenburg led the offense with two singles. Chris Somage and Jake Staloch had one hit each.
Waterville Indians 1, Reds 0
The Indians opened the scoring with one run in the first inning and it proved to be enough as the Reds made an early exit from the 13-60 League playoffs.
Aaron Gilliland collected two hits, which included a double. Seth Seth Tukua doubled in the sixth. Bjorn Peterson led off with a single in the seventh, but the threat was terminated with three successive outs.
VanEnglenburg was masterful on the mound, going the distance while allowing only four hits and the single run.
“It was a very disappointing end to the season,” said Jason Churchill, Reds player-manager. “We struggled on offense in the regular season and couldn’t turn it around. We’re now looking forward to our 2012 season in hopes to improve the offense, and to continue playing the excellent defense as we did in the second half of this year.”
