With four teams making up the new Region 3B, the importance of a high finish in the East Division of the River Valley League has diminished. The difference between the top and bottom teams is small.
That fact makes it easier to swallow for the Chaska Cubs, who are 0-4 in division games following back-to-back losses to Shakopee 4-1 and 9-7 over the weekend. After starting the season with a 10-3 record, Chaska is now 11-9 entering the week.
"We haven't had a complete team it seems for many games. We've been missing some key guys in games," said Manager John Seifert, who was forced to start a hobbled Justin Johnson at first base on Sunday. "We're not hitting the ball as well either. We haven't had many extra-base hits."
A power surge has done in the Cubs lately. Despite outhitting Shakopee both Friday and Sunday, Chaska couldn't come up with the clutch hits in a timely situation.
"Shakopee strung some hits together and we hit into a couple double plays and that was the difference. We've lost four games by five or six runs. We're not that far off," Seifert said.
Of the four division losses, ace Ryan Seifert has taken the loss in three contests, allowing nine runs (five earned) on 10 hits in seven innings in a 9-7 loss Sunday. He also was beat at Victoria June 9 (4-3) and at Prior Lake June 19 (4-1).
"Craig Gralapp hasn't thrown a pitch yet this summer. I think he led our team in wins last summer. (Pete) Ohnsorg has done well. We've gotten good innings from (Griff) Kilber and (Andy Dauwalter)," said Seifert, who said Ben Alexander and Kyle Geason may see some time on the mound this month.
Chaska has five remaining division games to play, which includes four straight Sunday contests beginning at Prior Lake at 6 p.m. July 8.
"We're still in good shape. Once we get our guys back, we'll be fine. We've played a much tougher schedule. We haven't played many 'C' teams," Seifert said.
Against Shakopee Sunday, Chaska jumped out to a 5-3 lead through five innings with Johnson, Alexander and Tony Lane supplying RBI-singles, while Mitch Gerber beat out a throw to first base, which skipped past the fielder, to plate two runs.
The Indians got within a run on an Aaron Olson home run before plating five runs in the seventh inning to take the lead for good. Chaska rallied for two tallies in the eighth, but came up short 9-7.
Chaska had 10 hits off Chris Rupert Friday in Shakopee, but the crafty left-hander allowed just one run on a Josh Korth single in the sixth inning in the Indians' 4-1 win.
Tied at one in the seventh inning, a two-run double with two outs from Curt Hartfiel gave Shakopee the lead for good at 3-1. Brandon Olson added an RBI-single for the final run.
Kilber struck out five batters over seven innings, giving up three earned runs on seven hits in the loss.
Earlier in the week, Chaska won in walk-off fashion 4-3 over Lyon's Pub. Alexander led off the ninth inning with a base hit up the middle, and he was moved to second on an Erik Duzan sacrifice bunt. The next two batters walked to load the bases.
On a one ball, one strike-count with one out, Johnson delivered a line drive to right-center field that allowed two runs to score and give the Cubs a win. Seifert, Colin Brackeen and Ohnsorg shared mound duties by allowing only two earned runs and eight hits in the contest.