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Article Date: May 25 REBELS OFFENSE SPUTTERING
Over three games the Rebels are sporting, as a team, a .203 average, .250 on base percentage, 16 hits, and 10 runs scored. Where has the offense gone that during spring training was pumping balls out of the Ryley Ballpark with ease?
One could look at the situation in very different ways, one positive and one negative. It could be that the Rebels are unable to hit PBL pitching as the have combined for 24 strikeouts in 3 games while only drawing 3 walks over the same time span. Or it could be that the offense has been stalled due to the high caliber of pitching that they have faced over those three games. The Rebels have faced Leduc RHP Scott Pederson, Camrose RHP Steve Ofrim and Bardo RHP Don Oslund. Pederson was lights out last year with the Axemen in the NCABL against very good offensive teams, Ofrim has been pitching gems in AA Provincials over the last couple of years and Oslund is a living legend in the PBL as over the years has solidified himself as one of the best power pitchers the PBL has seen.
Offensive help should be on the way as Dustin Solberg, Curt Stensrude, Kris Kushnerick, Bryan Toles and Josh Lyons are expected to be in the line up shortly. In the meantime the Rebels will continue to lean on youngsters like Travis Jones, Jon Lehman, and Tyler Hanson to keep contributing with timely hits and high levels of effort.
In any case the Rebels offense needs to get going in order to give them a chance to jump past the Royals or maybe even the Athletics (as the play each other 4 times this year) for one of the 4 playoff spots.
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