DATE	DAY	TIME	GAME OPPONENT	RESULT	SCORE	W/L PANNER
June 21	THU	10:30p	BEATRICE, NEB, BRUINS	W	2-1	C. Kissock

Pregame Concert	The Frigid Aires	Stroecker, Rafson, Carlson
PA: Recognition	Tim Norman	20 Year Alaskan Umpire
PA: Recognition	Bob Steinkamp	Founder, Bruins
Singer: National Anthem	Earl and Emma Hughes
Opening Pitch	Sean Timmons
Singer: Flag Song	Earl and Emma Hughes
Midnight Pitch
In Attendance
Media	NCAA Productions	"NCAA On Campus"
Media	Jim Carroll	"Touching the Game: Alaska"

Earl and Emma Hughes	The Frigid Aires - Rif Rafson, Bill Stroecker, Karl Carlson

 

Pictures and Videos
PannerVision at YouTube

2006 "Midnight Sun Series"

Beatrice Bruins, Led By Bob Steinkamp

"Touching the Game" Documentary

Pictures by Sheena Cummings

 

June 21, 2006 - Midnight Sun Game
Pictures by E. Chilton Hines

Midnight

 

Chu Yuan-Chin

By MATIAS SAARI, Staff Writer

It wasn’t the first game-winning hit of Chu Yuan-Chin’s burgeoning career.

But it may have been the most dramatic, as the Taiwanese newcomer for the Alaska Goldpanners slapped a single to center field scoring pinch runner Lan Shao-Bai for a 2-1, 10-inning win over the Beatrice, Neb., Bruins that sent another huge crowd home happy in the 101st Midnight Sun Game.

“This is the most exciting (game-winner) I ever hit,” said Chu, whose style is already drawing comparisons to Seattle Mariners’ Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki, through an interpreter.

The Midnight Sun Game win was the 14th straight for the Goldpanners in the famous contest that starts at 10:30 p.m. and is played in its entirety without the aid of artificial lights. The rapidly played game ended at 12:32 a.m., 15 minutes before the official sunset.

Chu’s third hit–the Panners had just seven in all–made a winner out of starting pitcher Chris Kissock, who went the distance, a rarity beyond nine innings. Kissock gave up only four hits on 103 pitches and didn’t allow a hit after a leadoff single in the fifth inning. Kissock outdueled tough-luck losing pitcher Ryan Sheldon, who was lifted with one out in the 10th.

“I knew I wasn’t going back out (for an 11th inning) so I was hoping we could bring around a run,” said Kissock. “Chu saw the pitch real well and just drove it over the second baseman’s head … It was a great experience. The fans here are amazing. I’m definitely gonna remember this.”

The winning rally started with one out in the 10th when Jordan Mayer beat out a single deep in the hole at shortstop. Player coach Elliott Strankman then drew a hard-earned walk, and Sheldon was lifted for reliever Erik Bird, who struck out Mark Thompson before Chu’s dramatic hit.

Beatrice (5-9), which beat the Panners 12-1 on Tuesday, got on the scoreboard first in the third frame when Nick Wolfe doubled with one out, took third on an infield single and scored on Tyson Parks’ roller to first that was hit too slowly for a double-play attempt.

The Goldpanners (5-2) had runners on second and third with one out in the fourth inning but wasted the opportunity when Sheldon got Jessie Mier to pop to second and Joe Persichina flew to right.

But the Panners finally got the run back in the sixth when Chu led off with a double over the head of Beatrice right fielder Andrew Brown, who tripped near the warning track while trying to run it down. Jovanny Bramasco followed with a sacrifice grounder, and then cleanup hitter Beau Mills lined a shot to right that Brown, it was ruled, snagged just before it could hit the outfield grass. Chu alertly tagged up to score the tying run and Beatrice’s appeal that he left early was denied.

Goldpanners’ second baseman Bramasco saved a run in the first with a running backhanded catch of a flare that threatened to drop into short center field with a man on third base and two outs.

The standing room only crowd was smaller than 2005, but still overflowing from the bleachers into a grassy area along the first base fencing and behind a special barrier set up in foul territory down the left field line.

The chilly night brought out more fans wearing jackets than T-shirts and shorts. Dark clouds threatened to the south but rain never materialized, and smoke that was bothersome late Tuesday night from the Parks Highway Fire also thankfully stayed away. The sun even made an appearance from about 11:15 p.m. to midnight.

Fans came from near and far. Army retiree Dave Johns, who attends virtually every Goldpanners and Athletes in Action game at Growden Memorial Park, found a spot standing in the top row of the first base bleachers. Wednesday left with him with a rooting dilemma.

“I like the Panners but I’m originally from Nebraska,” said Johns, 50. “I’m a transplant so I gotta go with the Panners.”

Meanwhile, Melanie Gambill and Vickie Jones, wearing yellow sun visors given away as a promotion, came all the way from Milton, Fla., (near Pensacola) especially for the game.

The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Charlie Cole, the winning Midnight Sun Game pitcher 50 years ago, and a former Alaska attorney general.

The pitcher’s duel sped along until the game was stopped before the bottom of the eighth inning, at 11:55 p.m., for Sally Ann Thibedeau, a local attending the University of Northern Colorado, to sing the Alaska flag song, another tradition at the Midnight Sun Game.

Before the game, Goldpanners President Bill Stroecker, whose father played catcher in the original Midnight Sun Game a century ago, entertained the crowd by playing trumpet as a member of the Frigid-Aires along with accordion and stand-up bass players.

Staff Writer Matias Saari can be reached at msaari@newsminer.com or 459-7591.

 

 

STATISTICS ARE FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY
** NOT THE OFFICIAL STATISTICS **

Beatrice, Bruins vs Alaska Goldpanners (Jun 21, 2006)

Box score

                            The Automated ScoreBook
                     Beatrice, Bruins at Alaska Goldpanners
               Jun 21, 2006 at Fairbanks, AK (Growden Park - MSG)

Beatrice, Bruins 1

Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Tucker 2b................  4  0  1  0   0  1  4  2   0
TParks lf................  4  0  0  1   0  1  2  1   1
Colligan cf..............  3  0  1  0   1  1  1  0   0
DBrown 1b................  4  0  0  0   0  0  9  0   3
 Merrell pr/1b...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Hicks ss.................  4  0  0  0   0  0  2  6   0
Weber dh.................  4  0  0  0   0  2  0  0   0
Brown rf.................  4  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   0
Mort 3b..................  4  0  1  0   0  0  1  2   0
Wolfe c..................  2  1  1  0   0  0  7  0   0
Sheldon p................  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 B. Bird p...............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 33  1  4  1   1  6 29 11   4

Alaska Goldpanners 2

Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Mark Thompson ss.........  5  0  0  0   0  3  0  5   1
Chu Yuan-Chin cf.........  5  1  3  1   0  0  2  0   0
Jovanny Bramasco 2b......  4  0  1  0   0  1  2  4   0
Beau Mills 3b............  3  0  1  1   0  0  0  2   0
Jessie Mier c............  3  0  0  0   1  0  6  4   0
Joe Persichina lf........  4  0  0  0   0  1  2  0   2
Geoff Byrns 1b...........  3  0  0  0   1  1 16  1   1
Jordan Mayer rf..........  4  0  2  0   0  0  1  0   0
 C.Indereeden pr.........  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Tyler Cheney dh..........  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1
 Elliott Strankman dh....  0  0  0  0   1  0  0  0   0
Chris Kissock p..........  0  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   0
Totals................... 34  2  7  2   3  6 30 16   7

Score by Innings                      R  H  E
---------------------------------------------
Beatrice, Bruins.... 001 000 000 0 -  1  4  0
Alaska Goldpanners.. 000 001 000 1 -  2  7  2
---------------------------------------------

Note: 2 outs, 2 runners LOB when the game ended.

E - G. Byrns; C. Kissock. LOB - BEATRICE 4; Goldpanners 7. 2B - Wolfe;
Yuan-Chin 2; B. Mills; J. Mayer. SH - Wolfe. SF - B. Mills. SB - Colligan;
J. Mier. CS - Merrell.

Beatrice, Bruins       IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Sheldon.............  9.1  6  2  2  3  5 32 36
B. Bird.............  0.1  1  0  0  0  1  2  2

Alaska Goldpanners     IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Chris Kissock....... 10.0  4  1  1  1  6 33 35

Win - C. Kissock.  Loss - B. Bird.  Save - None.
WP - Sheldon; C. Kissock.
Umpires -
Start:   Time:   Attendance:
Game: 06_06-21

---

Play-by-Play

                            The Automated ScoreBook
             Beatrice, Bruins at Alaska Goldpanners - Play-by-Play
               Jun 21, 2006 at Fairbanks, AK (Growden Park - MSG)


Score by Innings                      R  H  E
---------------------------------------------
Beatrice, Bruins.... 001 000 000 0 -  1  4  0
Alaska Goldpanners.. 000 001 000 1 -  2  7  2
---------------------------------------------

Beatrice, Bruins starters: 0/2b Tucker; 0/lf TParks; 0/cf Colligan; 0/1b
DBrown; 0/ss Hicks; 0/dh Weber; 0/rf Brown; 0/3b Mort; 0/c Wolfe; 0/p Sheldon;
Alaska Goldpanners starters: 4/ss M. Thompson; 49/cf Yuan-Chin; 14/2b J.
Bramasco; 24/3b B. Mills; 0/c J. Mier; 10/lf J.Persichina; 6/1b G. Byrns; 36/rf
J. Mayer; 23/dh T. Cheney; 0/p C. Kissock;

Beatrice, Bruins 1st - Tucker struck out. TParks grounded out to 2b.
Colligan singled. Colligan stole second. Colligan advanced to third on an error
by p. DBrown popped up to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 1st - M. Thompson struck out. Yuan-Chin doubled, out
at third lf to ss to 3b. J. Bramasco struck out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0
LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 2nd - Hicks flied out to lf. Weber flied out to lf.
Brown grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 2nd - B. Mills grounded out to 2b. J. Mier walked.
J.Persichina struck out; J. Mier stole second. G. Byrns grounded out to ss.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 3rd - Mort grounded out to ss. Wolfe doubled. Tucker
singled; Wolfe advanced to third. TParks out at first 1b to p, RBI; Tucker
advanced to second; Wolfe scored. Tucker advanced to third on a wild pitch.
Colligan walked. DBrown popped up to 1b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 3rd - J. Mayer popped up to ss. T. Cheney grounded
out to ss. M. Thompson flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 4th - Hicks grounded out to ss. Weber struck out. Brown
grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 4th - Yuan-Chin popped up to c. J. Bramasco singled.
B. Mills doubled; J. Bramasco advanced to third. J. Mier flied out to 2b.
J.Persichina flied out to lf. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 5th - Mort singled. Wolfe grounded out to c, SAC; Mort
advanced to second. Tucker grounded out to 2b; Mort advanced to third. TParks
struck out. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 5th - G. Byrns walked. J. Mayer grounded out to ss.
T. Cheney grounded out to ss. M. Thompson grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 6th - Colligan struck out. DBrown grounded out to 2b.
Hicks grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 6th - Yuan-Chin doubled. J. Bramasco grounded out to
ss; Yuan-Chin advanced to third. B. Mills flied out to rf, SF, RBI; Yuan-Chin
scored. J. Mier flied out to cf. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 7th - Weber flied out to rf. Brown grounded out to ss.
Mort flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 7th - J.Persichina grounded out to 2b. G. Byrns
struck out. J. Mayer doubled. T. Cheney flied out to lf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 8th - Wolfe flied out to cf. Tucker grounded out to c.
TParks grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 8th - M. Thompson struck out. Yuan-Chin popped up to
1b. J. Bramasco flied out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 9th - Colligan grounded out to 2b. DBrown reached on an
error by 1b. Merrell pinch ran for DBrown. Merrell out at second c to 2b,
caught stealing. Hicks grounded out to c. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0
LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 9th - Merrell to 1b. B. Mills flied out to ss. J.
Mier flied out to 2b. J.Persichina flied out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.

Beatrice, Bruins 10th - Weber struck out. Brown struck out. Mort
grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Alaska Goldpanners 10th - G. Byrns grounded out to 3b. J. Mayer singled.
Strankman to dh for T. Cheney. J. Mayer advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Strankman walked. C.Indereeden pinch ran for J. Mayer. B. Bird to p for
Sheldon. M. Thompson struck out. Yuan-Chin singled, RBI; Strankman advanced to
second; C.Indereeden scored. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Line score

Alaska Goldpanners 2, Beatrice, Bruins 1 (Jun 21, 2006 at Fairbanks, AK)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Beatrice, Bruins.... 001 000 000 0 -  1  4  0
Alaska Goldpanners.. 000 001 000 1 -  2  7  2
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Beatrice, Bruins - Sheldon; B. Bird(10). Alaska Goldpanners - C. Kissock.
Win-C. Kissock  Loss-B. Bird  T-  A-0
Game: 06_06-21