Buteyn effort leads to 9-3 victory

Solid hitting and an overall good team performance coupled with strikes from the arm of John Buteyn were plenty to lift the Irish over the Minneapolis Angels 9-3.

Please look over the schedule carefully, as some game times and dates have recently changed.

Irish Open 2007 with a Win

Among few returners to the opening day lineup on Tuesday evening at McGuire Field, Irish pitcher Dan Starken was one that showed his veteran savy while leading the Irish to a 3-2 victory over the St. Paul Shamrocks.

The Irish play again on Sunday, May 20th at 7:30 as they host the Minneapolis Angels at McGuire Field in South St. Paul.

Stockmen's Irish 2007

Jan 25th - The Stockmen's Irish look to come back strong in 2007 after a summer that left much to be desired in 2006. However, with a year of experience and growth together, the "New Look" Irish hope to turn a few heads.

Off Season Notes:
Stockmen's Irish did not receive a Christmas card from Green Mill this off-season as they had hoped to by the Irish Team Manager with regard to their gifted 9-8 victory over the Irish last summer on July 23rd. Not sure if the "Lost in the mail" excuse is going to fly this year guys.

Looking forward to seeing you all in 2007

Irish advance in playoffs with 12-1 win over Woodbury

July 30th - The Irish made quick work of Woodbury Sunday afternoon as they coasted to a 12-1 win at McGuire Field in the 1st round of the Skyline League playoffs. RHP Aaron Pfalzgraff pitched 5 solid innings as the Irish were able to 10-run Woodbury for the second time in 2 weeks. The weather wasn't the only thing scorching as the Irish offense scored 12 runs in just 4 innings, led by Mike Rothstein who was 2 for 3 with 2 HR's and 5 RBI's on the afternoon. "It was nice to get out of there after 5 innings," said Rothstein, "We were able to save our pitching on hot day like this." The Irish advance to take on Green Mill Tuesday night at 6:15pm at St. Thomas Academy.

Slide continues with 5-1 loss to North End
 
July 26th - The Irish lost their 3rd straight game Wednesday night as North End left McGuire Field with a 5-1 victory. Dan Starken pitched relatively well except for one inning, but the Irish offense was nowhere to be found as they managed only one run, that coming on a solo HR by Aaron Thompson, his 2nd of the season. The Irish now stand at 15-17 overall which is unprecedented. The Irish are also in danger of falling short of 20 wins for the first time in team history. The Irish have a chance to play spoiler tonight as Tri-City visits McGuire Field for an 8:00pm tilt. A Shark win will give them the outright Skyline League title at 16-2 and an automatic bid to the Class A State Tournament. An Irish win would create a 3-way tie for 1st between Tri-City, Rooster, and Green Mill thus putting all teams into the playoff mix. As for the Irish, they can lock up the #4 seed in the playoffs by beating Tri-City Thursday night and Al's Mudducks Friday night.

Green Mill sweeps doubleheader from Irish. North End game postponed until Wednesday.

July 23rd - The Irish blew an 8-1 lead on Sunday afternoon as Green Mill rallied for a 9-8 win in game 1 of a double dip Sunday afternoon at McGuire Field. Aaron Pfalzgraff pitched well for 5 innings but ran into trouble in the 6th when he gave a 3-run HR to cut the lead to 8-6. In the bottom of the 7th, Green Mill took advantage of some bloops hits and defensive miscues to score 3 runs to win the game. "I'm hoping they put us on their Christmas card mailing list," said Manager Mike Rothstein jokingly, "We gift wrapped that game for them and they might win a share of the league title now." Game 2 was much the same story as Green Mill scored 5 runs in the 6th inning to break open a 5-5 tie and they cruised to an 11-5 victory. Russ Jiskra got the start and pitched well getting a no decision. Justin Englund got the loss in relief to fall to 2-6 on the season. The Irish were set to play North End Monday evening at McGuire Field but the game was postponed due to rain. It will be made up Wednesday night (July 26th) at 8:00pm at McGuire Field.

Irish stay in contenion with 5-1 win over Rooster

July 22nd - The Irish kept their title hopes alive with an impressive 5-1 win over 1st place St. Paul Rooster Saturday afternoon at Kuenkel Feild in North St. Paul. Jake Schmidt got the complete game victory as he scattered 6 hits and allowed only one unearned run in 7 innings of work. The Concordia righthander struck out 3 and walked one. The Irish got on the board early when Nick Bjerken hammered one off the the left wall in the top of the 1st scoring Ben Kuhlmann for a 1-0 lead. The Irish made it 2-0 in the 3rd as they manufactured a run with a pair of bunts and an RBI ground out by Dan Miller. In the 5th, the Irish extended their lead to 5-0 on an RBI single by Bjerken and a bases loaded double by Mike Rothstein. Schmidt was in control from there as he retired the side in order in the 7th to end the game. Bjerken and Damien Dukek each had 2 hits to pace the offensive attack. The Irish are mathetically alive in the hunt for the Skyline League title with 5 game remaining, but they will need some help in addition to winning all 5 remaining games. "It will be tough," said Rothstein in a post-game interview, "but anything is possible. We just need to play one game at a time." Green Mill visits McGuire Field on Sunday afternoon for a doubleheader. Game 1 will start at 4:30pm and Game 2 will start approximately 25 minutes following the completion of game 1.

Stillwater holds on for 6-4 win over Stockmens

July 18th - The Irish fell behind 4-0 in the 2nd inning and could mount a comeback as they fell to the Stillwater Loggers 6-4 Tuesday evening at McGuire Field. Nick Bjerken (2-3) got the start and went the distance allowing 4 earned runs on 9 hits in 7 innings of work. Once again, the veteran lefthander did not walk a batter while striking out 3. In the botton of the 3rd, CF Aaron Thompson launched his first career HR to cut the deficit to 4-3, but Stillwater was able to tack on single runs in the 5th and 7th innings to seal the deal. RF Ben Briesacher also had a nice night at plate going 3 for 3 with a run scored.

The game with Green Mill on Wednesday night was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday July 23rd. Both games are to be played at McGuire Field. It will be a pivotal weekend as the Irish also take on league leading St. Paul Rooster Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm at Kuenkel Field in North St. Paul.

Irish thump Woodbury 11-1

July 16th - If you missed Sunday afternoon's game at Woodbury High School, you essentially missed only one inning. The Irish sent 15 men to the plate in the top of the 4th inning and when the dust settled, they scored 11 runs on 8 hits, 2 walks, and a hit batter. Starter Jake Schmidt was given more than enough run support as he calmly retired Woodbury in the 4th and 5th innings to pick up his first win of the 2006 campaign. Schmidty's final line was 5 IP, 1 run (unearned), 3 hits, 3 walks, and 3 strike outs. The star at the plate was 1B Keith Oerther who returned from an 8 game hiatus to go 3 for 3 with a double and 5 RBI's. Aaron Thompson also tallied 3 hits and Nick Bjerken continued his assault on Skyline League pitching with 2 more hits. The Irish improve to 8-4 in league play and 14-13 overall. They return home for a pair of mid-week games against a pair of very good ballclubs. Tuesday night, the Stillwater Loggers visit McGuire Field for the first time, and then Wednesday night, the Irish host defending Skyline League Champ Green Mill. First pitch for both games is 8:00pm.

Irish lose to Elko 6-2

July 13th - Looking to build on their lop-sided victory over St. Anthony, the Irish fell to the Elko Express 6-2 Thursday night. Justin Englund took the loss to drop to 2-5 on the season. The Grand View product pitched 4 innings surrendering 3 unearned runs on 3 hits. Dan Starken pitched the final 3 innings and he was roughed up a bit as he struggled with his control. Starken allowed 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 5 and striking out only one. The offense scattered 9 hits on the evening led by Mike Rothstein who drove in both Irish runs with a solo homer in the 2nd and run scoring single in the 3rd. 3B Steve Daugherty also notched 2 hits as the Irish squandered a 2-0 lead after 3 innings. The Irish are off until Sunday afternoon when they travel to Woodbury HS to take on the Woodbury Legends, a team that beat the Irish earlier in the season. Game time is 3:00pm and Jake Schmidt will be on the mound.

Irish hammer St. Anthony 11-1

July 11th - The Irish ended a brief two game skid with an 11-1 thrashing of St. Anthony Tuesday evening at McGuire Field. Concordia RHP Aaron Pfalzgraff got all the run support he needed in the 1st inning as the Irish scored 5 times, 3 of the runs coming on one swing as 1B Mike Rothstein homered to right. Pfalzgraff (3-1) went 6 innings allowing only one unearned run on 4 hits, while striking out 8 and walked one. The game was cut short to 6 innings due to the 10-run rule. Rothstein led the way offensively going 4 for 4 with a HR, double, and 5 RBI's. Dan Miller and Jake Schmidt were also key contributers with 2 hits each as the Irish mananged 11 as a team. With the win, the Irish improve to 7-4 in league play and 13-12 overall. Next up is the Elko Express Thursday night at McGuire Field. Game time is 8:00pm and Justin Englund will get the start.

Note: Friday's game at Austin has been cancelled. The game will not be rescheduled.

Stockmens drops another one

July 10th - The Irish continued to slide down the Skyline League standings with an uninspired 2-1 loss to North End Monday night. Lefty Nick Bjerken pitched well enough to win but the Irish bats went silent in the clutch as lost to North End for the first time in team history. Bjerken went 6 innings giving up 2 earned runs on 7 hits while striking out 2. For the second straight start Bjerken didn't walk a batter. The Irish scattered 7 hits at the plate led by Ben Kuhlmann (2 for 3, RBI) and Jake Schmidt (2 for 3). The Irish will look to right the ship Tuesday night as St. Anthony visits McGuire Field for a much needed home game. RHP Aaron Pfalzgraff (2-1) will get the start.

Irish hand one to Tri-City

July 8th - Leading 5-1 in the bottom of the 6th, the Irish defense went south once again letting the Shark score 6 times for an 8-5 victory Saturday afternoon at Irondale High School. Hard luck loser Jake Schmidt (0-1) pitched 6 innings and was the victim of 7 Irish errors. Schmidt pitched much better than his line indicated as he struck out 9 and walked 4. "I feel bad for Schmidty," said Mike Rothstein, "He pitched his tail off and we didn't make the plays behind him. We should've won that ballgame." The Irish swatted out 8 hits on the afternoon with Dan Miller having the only multi-hit game. The Irish are off on Sunday but they're back in action Monday evening as they take on North End at 6:15pm at Arlington/Arkwright Field in St. Paul. Crafy lefty Nick Bjerken (2-1) will be on the mound.

Jiskra got the win

July 7th - The Irish returned from an 8 day lay off to light up the scoreboard with an impressive 12-5 win over the Rochester Royals Friday night at McGuire Field. Justin Englund got the start going 3 innings and not allowing a hit or run, but his control was a little erratic as he walked 4 batters. Russ Jiskra came on to pitch the next 3 innings to pick up his first win in an Irish uniform. The righthander allowed 3 runs on 3 hits while striking out 2 and walking 2. Lefty Dan Starken finished it up by pitching the final 3 innings to pick his first save of the season. The Irish bats exploded for 12 runs and 18 hits on the evening led by lead off hitter extraordinaire Aaron Thompson who was 5 for 6 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI's. Nick Bjerken also had a nice night going 3 for 5 with 2 RBI's and Starken was 3 for 4 with a pair of ribbies. Mike Rothstein and Ben Briesacher also contributed to the onslaught with 2 hits each. "That's as well as we've swung the bats in a long time," said Rothstein after the game, "Hopefully we can keep it going for the upcoming string of league games." The Irish hope the bats stay hot overnight as they travel up to Irondale HS on Saturday afternoon for an important league game with Tri-City. Game time is 3:00pm and Jake Schmidt will make his first start of the season.

Stockmens back on track with 6-2 win over W.B. Township

June 29th - The Irish snapped a 3 game losing streak with a 6-2 win over W.B. Township Thursday night at McGuire Field. Just 24 hours after playing their worst game of the season, the Irish bounced back with a solid victory. Nick Bjerken went the distance improving his record to 2-1 on the season. The St. Scholastica Hall of Famer struck out 4 and walked one in 7 innings of work. For the season, Bjerken has only 5 walks in 35.2 innings. Dan Miller, Ben Briesacher, and Jake Schmidt each had a pair of hits for the Irish as they pounded out 10 as a team. Miller now leads the team with a .449 average while playing in only 14 games due to an injury. The Irish will now enjoy an 8 day "vacation" for the 4th of July Holiday. They will be back in action on Friday July 7th as the Rochester Royals visit McGuire Field for an 8:00pm tilt.

Slide continues with 8-0 loss to Stillwater

June 28th - The Irish losing streak is now at 3 games with a disappointing 8-0 loss to Skyline newcomer Stillwater on Wednesday. The Irish managed only 3 hits and committed 4 errors as they were shut out for the second time in 4 days. Aaron Pfalzgraff came into the game without allowing an earned run this season, but he was touched for 8 runs on 7 hits in 5+ innings. Jake Schmidt came on to retire the side in the 6th but it was too late. The Irish won't have much time to dwell on their un inspired performance as they host W.B. Township Thursday night at McGuire Field at 8:00pm. Veteran lefthander Nick Bjerken will get the start.

Irish fall apart in Eau Claire

June 27th - The Irish got off to a great start Tuesday night jumping to a 3-0 lead in the 3rd inning, but everything fell apart in the 6th inning as Eau Claire scored 5 runs on their way to a 10-5 victory. Russ Jiskra got the start and looked great for 5 innings, but he ran into trouble in the 6th before giving way to LHP Ben Briesacher. Briesacher, making his first appearance of 2006, struggled with his control and left the game with 2 outs in the 7th and the Irish trailing 7-3. Mike Rothstein then came on to record the final 4 outs. The Irish hit the ball well as Ben Kuhlmann, Dan Starken, and Rothstein each tallied 2 hits, while Dan Miller and Steve Daugherty each notched one apiece for a total of 8 as a team. "We played great out of the gate," said Rothstein after the game, "The Cavs are tough in this ballpark and they find a way to comeback every time." The Irish return to action Wednesday night as they get back into league play with a road game at Stillwater. First pitch is 6:15pm at Stillwater HS and RHP Aaron Pfalzgraff will be on the mound.

Irish finish runner-up in tournament

June 25th - The Irish dropped a 6-0 decision to the Mpls. Cobras Sunday afternoon to finish 2nd in the Stockmens Invitational this past weekend at McGuire Field. Justin Englund got the start lasted 4 innings surrendering 4 earned runs and 5 hits while striking out 3 and walking 4. Jake Schmidt came on in the 5th and pitched the final 3 innings. The Concordia righthander allowed one run on 3 hits in his second appearance on the mound this season. The Irish bats were very quiet as they managed only two singles off Cobras starter Nate Broehm. "He was tough as nails today." commented Keith Oerther after the game.

Saturday night, the Irish beat Victoria 4-0 in a rain shortened game. The game was called in the bottom of the 5th with the Irish batting and nursing a 4 run lead. Lefty Dan Starken tossed 5 impressive innings allowing only 4 hits and striking out 5 Victoria batters. At the plate, the Irish smacked out 6 hits and the bottom of the order Keith Oerther, Ben Briesacher, and Damien Dukek each drove in a run while the 4th run scored on a balk.

The Irish get Monday off before a two game road trip beginning in Eau Claire Tuesday night. Russ Jiskra will look to build on an impresive first start as he will take the mound looking get the Irish back on track. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30pm.

Irish take down Rosetown 7-3

June 22nd - The Irish won their tourney opener with a 7-3 win over the Rosetown A's Thursday night at McGuire Field. Russ Jiskra made his first start of the season and did a nice job pitching 4 innings, giving up 3 earned runs on 3 hits. The recent Hudson High School grad walked 4 and struck out one. Fellow right hander Justin Englund came on in the 5th and pitched 3 nearly perfect innings to pick up the win. Englund allowed only one baserunner (a lead off walk in the 7th) and struck out 3 in a very impressive outing. The Irish led 4-1 in the 4th when Rosetown catcher Joe Anderson went deep over the left field wall for a 2-run blast to cut the lead to 4-3. Jiskra then settled down and retired the side without any further damage. The Irish bats came alive in the bottom of the 5th inning as they scored 4 runs to take a comfortable 7-3 lead and it was all Englund from there. "Our young guys really stepped up tonight," said owner Bill McGuire, "It was a great all around effort." The bright spots for the Irish, other than the pitching efforts of Jiskra and Englund, were Aaron Thompson and Nick Bjerken, who each tallied 2 hits, and SS Ben Kuhlmann, who drove in a pair of runs with a triple to the right center gap in the 5th inning. Defensively, the Irish were superb as they did not commit an error for just the second time this season. The Irish now stand at 9-7 overall as they prepare for the Victoria Vics in their second game of pool play. A win would put the Irish in the Championship game on Sunday for the second time in 3 years. Game time Saturday night is 8:00pm and Aaron Pfalzgraff will be on the mound.

Note: The Blaine Fusion beat the Mpls. Cobras 7-5 in the first game of the Stockmens Invitational Thursday night. For complete tournament information, stay tuned to this website.

Irish lose to Rooster in extra innings

June 20th - The Irish rallied for 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th, but St. Paul Rooster scored 2 in the top of the 8th and held on for a 5-3 victory Tuesday night at McGuire Field. Damien Dukek laced a two-out single in the bottom of the 7th to tie the game 3-3, but Nick Bjerken served up a gopher ball in the top of the 8th. The Irish then loaded the bases in the bottom of the 8th, but couldn't push across any runs. Bjerken went the distance allowing 5 earned runs on 12 hits while striking out 4. For the second straight game, the Irish pitching staff did not walk a batter. Bjerken also notched 2 hits at the plate as did Dan Miller. The Irish will take a break from their league schedule as they host the annual Stockmens Invitational this coming weekend at McGuire Field. Their first game will be Thursday evening against the Rosetown A's at 8:45pm. Rookie righthander Russ Jiskra will make his first start of the season.

Irish beat Kodiaks 6-2 behind Pfalzgraff CG

June 19th - Aaron Pfalzgraff pitched his second consecutive CG on Monday night as the Irish defeated the White Bear Kodiaks 6-2 at Township Fields. The righthander allowed 2 unearned runs in the 3rd inning and that was it. For the game he surrendered only 4 hits while striking out 6 and he did not walk a single batter. The Irish jumped to an early lead thanks in part to a couple Kodiak wild pitches but 3 runs in the top of the 5th put the game away. Ben Kuhlmann, Dan Miller, and Jake Schmidt each had 2 hits for the Irish as they managed 8 as a team. The win puts the Irish at 5-1 in league play and 8-6 overall. St. Paul Rooster visits McGuire Feild on Tuesday night as they Irish look to continue they early success in the Skyline League. Nick Bjerken will be on the mound with first pitch slated for 8:00pm.

Irish pull away from Mudducks

June 17th - The Irish put together a make shift line-up on Saturday but it was still enough to handle Al's Mudducks 10-4 on a windy afternoon at Rich Valley. With 3 starters missing, the Irish pounded out 14 hits and scored in double digits for the third time this season. Lefty Dan Starken got the complete game victory as he struck out 7 and walked one. The Irish led 4-0 in the 3rd when they decided to kick the ball around the infield and all of a sudden it was tied 4-4. The Irish got 2 runs back in the 4th and added 4 more in the 7th making things a lot easier for Starken to earn his first CG victory in an Irish uniform. Backstop Dan Miller had his second four hit game of the season and Ben Kuhlmann, Nick Bjerken, Mike Rothstein, and Ben Briesacher each added two hits apiece. "We had some guys out of position but thankfully we hit the ball pretty well.", said G. M. Gary Rinehart after the game. The Irish will be off on Father's Day but they're right back at it Monday night as they travel up to White Bear Township for a rematch with the White Bear Kodiaks. First pitch is scheduled for 8:30pm and Aaron Pfalzgraff will make his second start of the season.

Woodbury hands Irish first league loss

June 15th - The Irish laid an egg Thursday night as they spotted Woodbury 6 runs in the first 3 innings on their way to a 6-4 loss at McGuire Field. The Irish did chip away at a 6-1 deficit but it wasn't enough in the end. Justin Englund got the start for the Irish but he lasted only 2.2 innings before giving way to Russ Jiskra who pitched 4 innings of scoreless relief. Jiskra allowed only one hit and struck out 5. Jake Schmidt got the final out of the 7th inning on just one pitch in his Stockmens pitching debut. Offensively the Irish whacked out 9 hits including home runs from Nick Bjerken and Schmidt. Dan Miller also added a two-run single in the 5th inning. The Irish drop to 3-1 in league play and 6-6 overall. Up next is a matinee with Al's Mudducks on Saturday at 3:00pm at Rich Valley in Inver Grove Heights. Dan Starken will be on the mound looking for his 2nd win of 2006.

Irish top W.B.L. Kodiaks 7-1

June 13th - The Irish improved to 3-0 in league play with a 7-1 win over the White Bear Kodiaks Tuesday evening at McGuire Field. LHP Nick Bjerken went the distance for the complete game victory, his first of the season. The crafty southpaw struck out 7 and walked one in the winning effort. The lone Kodiak run in the 1st inning was unearned so Bjerken was able to lower his ERA to 1.31. At the plate the Irish were led by Dan Miller (2 for 4 with a double, 2 RBI's) and Jake Schmidt (2 for 3, 1 RBI). Steve Daugherty also had a nice night going 1 for 2 with a double, 2 runs scored, and an RBI. The Irish are back at it on Thursday as Skyline League newcomer Woodbury visits McGuire Field for an 8:00pm tilt. Righthander Justin Englund will get the nod on the mound for the Irish.

Pfalzgraff shuts down St. Anthony 1-0

June 11th - Aaron Pfalzgraff made quite an impression Sunday afternoon as he tossed a complete game four-hit shutout in his Stockmen's debut as the Irish beat St. Anthony 1-0. The Concordia righthander struck out 11 and walked 2 as he did not allow a St. Anthony baserunner past 2nd base. Pfalzgraff got all the offense he needed in the 3rd inning when SS Ben Kuhlmann singled home Dan Starken for the game's only run. The Irish scattered 8 hits on the afternoon led by Aaron Thompson and Ben Briesacher who each had 2 hits. The one run victory keeps the Irish undefeated in league play at 2-0, with both victories coming on the road. Up next is the White Bear Lake Kodiaks on Tuesday night at McGuire Field. Game time is 8:00pm and lefty Nick Bjerken will make his first start of the season.

Mpls. Lakers humble Irish 13-0

June 9th - One night after putting together their best effort of the season, the Irish were beaten soundly by the Mpls. Lakers 13-0 at McGuire Field. Lefty Dan Starken had his best outing of the year thus far, allowing only one run in 5 innings of work. Russ Jiskra got through the 6th but all hell broke loose in the 7th inning as the Irish made 4 errors and the Lakers capitalized for an 8-0 lead. Nick Bjerken tossed the final 2.1 innings but he too was victim of poor defense as the Lakers increased their lead to 13-0. In all the Irish committed 6 errors that led to 7 unearned runs. The Irish bats were dead silent as they managed only 5 hits on the evening and they never really threatened to score. Up next is their second league game of the season as they take on the St. Anthony Hogs Sunday afternoon at 2:00pm at St. Anthony H.S. RHP Aaron Pfalzgraff will make his Stockmens debut on the mound as the Irish look to improve to 2-0 in league play.

Irish hammer W.B. Township in league opener

June 8th - The Irish opened league play with an impressive 11-2 over W.B. Township Thursday evening. The Irish plated 6 runs in the first 2 innings and never looked back. RHP Brandon Wolf went the distance for the second straight start to improve his record to 2-1. The Grand View Senior to be allowed 2 runs on 6 hits, while striking out 10 and walking 2. At the plate, the Irish were led by catcher Dan Miller who was 4 for 4 with a pair of triples and 3 RBI's. Aaron Thompson, Ben Kuhlmann, and Jake Schmidt each contributed 2 hits as the Irish pounded out 13 as a team. The Irish are back in action Friday evening as they host the Mpls. Lakers at McGuire Field. Game time is scheduled for 7:30pm with southpaw Dan Starken taking the mound in search of his second straight victory.

Winning streak snapped by Hampton
 
June 6th - The Irish 3 game winning streak was snapped Tuesday night with an 8-5 loss to the Hampton Cardinals at Vets Field in Hastings. RHP Justin Englund tossed the first 5 innings, allowing 6 runs (only 2 earned) on 8 hits. The Grand View Sophomore to be struck out 2 and walked 3 as he dropped to 1-2 on the season. Rookie Russ Jiskra made his Stockmens debut by pitching 3 innings, allowing a pair of runs on just one hit. Despite giving up 2 runs, Jiskra was impressive as he struck out 5 Hampton batters in his relief stint. At the plate, the Irish belted out 9 hits on the evening led by Keith Oerther who was 2 for 3 with a double. The Irish welcomed back Dan Miller who played in the Northwoods League last summer and then sat out the first 6 games of this season with a foot injury. Miller was 1 for 3 with a walk and run scored in his first game for the Irish since 2004. With the loss, the Irish drop to 3-4 overall on the season as they prepare for their Skyline League opener Thursday night up in W.B. Township. First pitch will be at 7:30pm and righthander Brandon Wolf will get the start.

Irish win 3rd straight with 13-8 win over Brainerd

June 3rd - The Irish offense exploded for 5 runs in the 1st inning before an out was recorded and they never looked back for a 13-8 win over Brainerd Saturday night at Don Adamson Field up in Brainerd. LHP Dan Starken was spotted a 5 run lead before he had to throw a pitch as he tossed 5 innings for his first win of the season. Starken allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 4 hits while striking out 3 and walking 5. Fellow lefty Nick Bjerken pitched the last 4 innings to earn his 2nd save of the year. Bjerken surrendered 4 runs but none of them were earned as the Irish defense committed a season high 8 errors. The Irish had their best offensive output of the season however as they tallied 18 hits, including 6 for extra bases. Aaron Thompson and Bjerken each had 4 hits to lead the way. Russ Bauer, Keith Oerther, Ben Kuhlmann, and Adam Lasky each had multi-hit games as well. "We really swung the bats well tonight," said Keith Oerther after the game, "We just need to quit kicking the ball around in the infield, especially with league games starting this week." The Irish evened their record at 3-3 with the win. Up next is another road game as the Irish travel to Hastings Tuesday night where they will take on the Hampton Cardinals. Game time is set for 7:30pm.

Irish defeat Wesley Homes behind Wolf complete game
 
May 31st - RHP Brandon Wolf (1-1) went the distance Wednesday night as the Irish improved to 2-3 with a 6-4 win over defending Class A Champion Wesley Homes. Wolf struck out 11, walked 3 and allowed only 2 earned runs. The Irish played flawless defense for 8 innings, but 3 errors in the 9th led to a pair of unearned runs for Wesley Homes that kept the McGuire Field capacity crowd of 46 on the edge of their seats until the final out. The offense was rather quiet for the first 5 innings but the bats came alive in the 6th and 7th innings as the Irish scored 4 runs for a somewhat comfortable 6-2 lead. Aaron Thompson and Nick Bjerken led the way with 2 hits each, and rookie SS Ben Kuhlmann drove in a pair of runs. The Irish are off until Saturday when they begin a three game road trip up in Brainerd. First pitch is slated for 6:30pm. Southpaw Dan Starken will be on the mound looking for his first win of 2006

Stockmens edges Blaine for 1st win of the season
 
May 24th - It wasn't pretty but the Irish (1-3) rallied from a 4-0 1st inning deficit and then had to hang on to beat the Blaine Fusion 8-7 Wednesday night at McGuire Field. Lefty Dan Starken struggled mightily through the 1st inning as Blaine scored 4 runs, but he settled down and got through 4 innings before giving way to RHP Justin Englund in the 5th. Englund also struggled with his control but he kept Blaine off the scoreboard for the most part, allowing the Irish to chip away. The Irish led 8-5 in the 7th when Englund served up a gopher ball that cut the lead to 8-7. "Every Day" Nick Bjerken came in to get the last 4 outs and record his first save of 2006. Bjerken has now pitched in all 4 games this season (all in relief) and has yet to allow a run. The Irish pitching staff combined to strike out 16 batters on the night. Bjerken not only shut the door on the Fusion, but he also launched his first HR of the season, an opposite field shot to right center in the 3rd inning. For the game he was 2 for 4 with a double, HR, sac fly, and 3 RBI's. Damien Dukek also tallied a pair of hits as the Irish whacked out 10 hits as a team. The Irish now have a week off before they host defending Class A Champ Wesley Homes next Wednesday evening at 8:00pm. RHP Brandon Wolf will get the start on the bump.

Irish rally comes up short
 
May 23rd - Trailing 7-0 in the top of the 9th, the Irish put together a late rally scoring 6 runs, but it wasn't enough as they lost to the Red Wing Aces 7-6 Tuesday night down in Red Wing to fall to 0-3 on the season. Southpaw Mike Rothstein got the start lasting 4+ innings before giving way to fellow lefty Nick Bjerken. Rothstein struggled with his control walking 6 batters and surrendering all 7 runs, all earned. Bjerken was dominant in his 4 innings of relief as he struck out 7 and didn't walk a batter. "I stunk up the joint tonight," said Rothstein after the game, "I didn't give us a chance to win this game." The Irish outhit the Aces 14-7, but the Aces took advantage of those walks early in the game and had some timely hits. The same couldn't be said for the Irish as they scattered 8 hits through the first 8 innings before their offensive explosion in the 9th that snapped a 22 inning scoreless streak. Aaron Thompson led the way as he notched 3 hits and swiped 2 bases, while Bjerken, Ben Kuhlmann, and Dan Starken each added 2 hits. Another bright spot was the Irish defense as they played an error-free game for the first time this season after committing 10 errors in their first 2 games. "We did a nice job tonight defensively," said Rothstein, "We just had too big of a hole to dig out of." The Irish are back at it tonight as they host the Blaine Fusion at 8:00pm at McGuire Field. LHP Dan Starken will get his 2nd start of the 2006 season as the Irish look to get off the schnide with with a "W".

St. Louis Park blanks Irish 5-0

May 21st - The Irish dropped to 0-2 on the young season with a 5-0 setback to St. Louis Park Sunday afternoon at McGuire Field. Park lefty Gabe Eickum tossed a gem striking out 9 and walking 2 in the complete game victory. Eickum took a no-hitter into the 9th only to see Nick Bjerken dump a one out bloop single into center to break it up. Brandon Wolf took the loss for the Irish giving up 5 runs (2 earned) and 7 hits in 5 innings of work. RHP Justin Englund came out of the pen to throw 3 innings of scoreless relief and Nick Bjerken pitched a scoreless 9th for the second consecutive game. The achilles heel once again for the Irish was their defense as they committed 4 errors that led to 3 unearned runs. "We're really need to fine tune our defense," said G.M. Gary Rinehart, "We have 10 errors in our first two games. That's not going to get it done." The Irish return to action Tuesday evening when they travel down to Red Wing for an 8:00pm game. LHP Mike Rothstein will get the start on the mound.

Irish drop season opener 9-8 to Miesville

May 19th - The Irish lost a very winnable game Friday night as the Miesville Mudhens rallied for a 9-8 win in the 2006 season opener at McGuire Field. Leading 8-4 after 4 innings the Irish bats went to sleep and their defense went south, allowing the Mudhens to erase a 4 run deficit. Southpaw Dan Starken got the start for the Irish as he went 4 innings surrendering 4 earned runs on 8 hits. Starken struck out 3, walked 2, and hit a batter in the no decision. Rookie RHP Justin Englund took the loss as he pitched 3 innings giving up 5 runs on just 3 hits. Only 2 of the runs were earned. RHP Brandon Wolf pitched a scoreless 8th and craft lefty Nick Bjerken tossed a scoreless 9th to close it out. At the plate, the Irish were led by Bjerken who was 3 for 5 with an RBI double. Newcomers Keith Oerther and Steve Daugherty each smacked out 2 hits in their Stockmens debut. In all, the Irish pounded out 11 hits, but it wasn't enough to overcome several defensive miscues. "We kicked the ball around quite a bit tonight," said catcher Russ Bauer after the game, "We started off pretty good but the errors in the middle innings really killed us." The Irish will look to notch one in the win column on Sunday afternoon as St. Louis Park visits McGuire Field for a 2:00pm tilt. Brandon Wolf will get the nod on the mound for the Irish.

Note: The Irish have added a game to their schedule as they will travel to Red Wing on Tuesday evening. First pitch is slated for 7:30pm.

Stockmens releases 2006 schedule

March 1st 2006– The Stockmens Irish Baseball Club has announced its 2006 schedule as they begin their 11th season of play since the team was founded in 1996. The Irish will open at home on Friday May 19th when the Miesville Mudhens visit McGuire Field. Their first road game won't be until June 3rd when they travel to Brainerd. The 2006 schedule consists of 35 regular season games, followed by league playoffs, and then the Class A State Tournament. The Irish will be looking to qualify for the Class A State Tournament for the 7th consecutive year and 8th time overall since their inception in 1996. Notable teams visiting McGuire Field this summer for non-league games will be the aforementioned Miesville Mudhens, St. Louis Park, Rosetown A’s, Rochester Royals, Elko Express, Victoria Vics, Blaine Fusion, and defending Class A Champion Wesley Homes. The Irish will take their show on the road to such venues as Brainerd, Eau Claire, Austin, Hastings, and perennial powerhouse Minnetonka. Like in years past, the Irish will host the annual Stockmens Invitational June 22-25 that boasts one of the stronger tournament fields in the state.

The Skyline League added 2 teams in the off season as they welcome newcomers Woodbury and Stillwater. The expansion puts the league at 11 teams, giving the Irish an additional 4 league games in 2006. The league schedule is set up so everyone plays everyone home and away for a total of 20 games. Couple that with 15 non-league games, and the Irish have one of the more competitive schedules in the state. “Our theory from day one was that if you want to be the best, you need to play the best.”, said G.M. Gary Rinehart, “If this was college basketball, our RPI and strength of schedule would be pretty good this year.”