Aces win with ease

BAY CITY -- Andy Schilling homered and drove in a pair of runs Saturday to help Red Wing win its season opener 11-0 in eight innings against the Bombers.

Schilling finished 3-for-4 with a run and continued his resurgence at the plate.

After being selected to the all-tournament team at the 2006 state tournament, Schilling has struggled in recent seasons. He hit .143 in 2008 and .238 last year.

“I haven’t really done my part the last couple years and it’s just not fun playing that way,” Schilling said.

Schilling retooled his swing in 2009 and said he started to feel more comfortable in the batter’s box at the end of the season. He collected three hits, five RBI and a home run in his final start of the year.

“I think I was just trying to over swing last year,” Schilling said. “Toward the end of the year last year I kind of figured good contact is better than swinging hard and missing.”

Schilling played right field against Bay City. He’s also slated to serve as the Aces’ backup catcher.

“Andy Schilling really got us going today and swung the bat well,” Aces player/manager Corey Tauer said. “He looked comfortable and that’s what we’re looking for this year, somebody like Andy who’s going to step up and take that spot Brandon LaRue kind of left vacant.”

Brandon LaRue is now a fitness trainer in the Chicago Cubs minor league system.

Chris Guetzlaff had three hits batting leadoff for the Aces. Kyle Blahnik collected four hits and three RBI in the No. 2 hole. Jimmy Bohmbach also hit a home run for the Aces.

Josh Thygesen earned the win, throwing five innings and striking out six. He walked one batter and gave up three hits.

Cole Kuesel suffered the loss. He allowed six runs over seven innings.

“He did OK,” Bombers manager Monte Strain said. “A couple plays that should have been made in the field, I think, maybe that got to him right away.”

Red Wing plays host to Randolph at 2 p.m. Sunday. Bay City is back in action May 8 in a home game against Plum City.

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