The Jackson Bulls are heading into a stretch that is going to test their pitching staff, a group that has been performing well most of the season.
Jackson plays six games in eight days starting Sunday by hosting Ruthton at 2 p.m. and then face Fairmont after that, at about 4 p.m. Jackson has not played either the Royals or Martins yet this season.
In their last game in Truman on Wednesday, four Bulls pitchers combined to strike out 20 Fox Lake batters on their way to a 10-1 win over the Foxes. It’s the second time Jackson has reached the 20-strikeout mark this season, having recorded 21 vs. Mountain Lake on May 18.
Starter Gavin Jacobsen recorded 16 of those Ks in six innings as he struck out the side in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings.
Three other pitchers went one inning apiece with Lucas Gardner and Sean Minder each striking out one batter sandwiched around a two-strikeout inning by Evan Olesen.
The rest of the busy stretch comes away from the friendly confines of Wacker Field, playing at Adrian Wednesday, Windom Friday and then two road games on Father’s Day, playing at the Milroy Irish and Hadley.
Lakefield is idle until Wednesday when it travels to Luverne. The Frogs then host Fox Lake Friday and play at the Milroy Irish next Sunday.
Standings
First Nite League
Windom Pirates 7-1
Jackson Bulls 7-2
Fairmont Martins 4-2
Lakefield Frogs 3-3
Fox Lake Foxes 2-4
Heron Lake Lakers 2-7
Mountain Lake Lakers 1-6
Gopher League
Milroy Irish 5-0
Luverne Redbirds 6-2
Hadley Buttermakers 5-2
Adrian A's 4-2
Pipestone A's 3-4
Ruthton Royals 1-7
Worthington Cubs 0-8
League games only
Friday, June 10
New Ulm Brewers 13, Fairmont Martins 6
Luverne Redbirds 7, Atwater Chuckers 1
Milroy Irish 10, Bryant Wild Hogs 0
Sioux Falls Hops 6, Pipestone A's 0
Adrian A's 12, Kensington Noresmen 4
Saturday, June 11
Minneapolis North Stars 7, Fox Lake Foxes 5
Pipestone A's 5, Wabasso Jaxx 3
Hadley Buttermakers 10, Benson Plowboys 0
Bloomington Bandits 6, Hadley Buttermakers 5
Luverne Redbirds 11, Kimball Express 4
Sunday, June 12
Fox Lake Foxes vs. Hibbing Miners at Hinckley, 10:30 a.m.
Hadley Buttermakers at Pipestone A’s, 1:15 p.m.
Ruthton Royals at Jackson Bulls, 2 p.m.
Worthington Cubs at Windom Pirates, 2 p.m.
Fairmont Martins at Jackson Bulls, 4 p.m.
Heron Lake Lakers at Milroy Irish, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, June 14
Heron Lake Lakers at Lamberton Long Sox, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 15
Jackson Bulls at Adrian A's, 7:30 p.m.
Lakefield Frogs at Luverne Redbirds, 7:30 p.m.
Fox Lake Foxes at Fairmont Martins, 7:30 p.m.
Milroy Irish at Windom Pirates, 7:30 p.m.
Hadley Buttermakers at Worthington Cubs, 7:30 p.m.
Ruthton Royals at Pipestone A's, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, June 17
Jackson Bulls at Windom Pirates, 7:30 p.m.
Fox Lake Foxes at Lakefield Frogs, 7:30 p.m.
Luverne Redbirds at Adrian A's, 7:30 p.m.
Faribault Lakers at Milroy Irish, 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 18
Fairmont Martins vs. Le Sueur Braves at Hamburg, 11 a.m.
Granite Falls Kilowatts at Hadley Buttermakers, 2 p.m.
Heron Lake Lakers at Gibbon Reds, 4 p.m.
Sunday, July 19
Jackson Bulls at Milroy Irish, 2 p.m.
Ruthton Royals at Heron Lake Lakers, 2 p.m.
Worthington Cubs at Mountain Lake Lakers, 2 p.m.
Luverne Redbirds at Hadley Buttermakers, 2 p.m.
Adrian A’s at Pipestone A’s, 2 p.m.
Jackson Bulls at Hadley Buttermakers, 5 p.m.
Lakefield Frogs at Milroy Irish, 5 p.m.
Hady records save
Former Jackson Bulls great Tom Hady recorded a save Wednesday for the Class B Shakopee Indians in a 3-2 River Valley League East win over the Burnsville Bobcats at Schleper Field in Shakopee.
Hady entered the game to start the ninth inning with Shakopee leading 3-1. He allowed one run on one hit, walked one and struck out one.
For the season, Hady is 0-1 with the one save and an earned run average of 5.4.
In five innings, he has allowed three runs on six hits, walked two and struck out two.
Shakopee hosts the Victoria Vics Sunday.
Becker homers
Fairmont graduate Luke Becker hit his eighth home run of the season Saturday night in Lexington, Kentucky for the Wild Health Genomes of the independent Atlantic League.
Becker’s homer tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh and the Genomes would eventually beat the York Revolution 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth. He’s tied for fifth in the league in homers.
For the season Becker is hitting .283 (39-138). He has seven doubles and one triple to go with his eight home runs and leads the team in total bases with 72.
Becker leads his team in runs batted in with 29, is second in walks with 18 and has an on-base percentage of .364.
The Genomes have a 22-20 record and are in third place in the Southern Division of the Atlantic League.
Derek Shoen
Truman native Derek Shoen is hitting .400 for the Mankato MoonDogs of the Northwoods League.
He has 10 hits in 25 at bats including two doubles and one home run, has scored six runs, has six runs batted in, walked three times, been hit by a pitch and has an on-base percentage of .483.
Mankato has a 8-4 record and is in second place in the Great Plains West Division.
The MoonDogs are at Eau Claire Sunday and Monday and then go to Duluth Tuesday and Wednesday. Then it’s back to ISG Field in Mankato for two games vs. Willmar Thursday and one vs. St. Cloud Friday before playing at St. Cloud on Saturday.