MABL/MSBL Player of the Week: Kevin Lammerding Hits for Cycle for Spokane Hawks, Inland Northwest Men’s Baseball League
Submitted by Jeff Ennis, Spokane Hawks Teammate
Kevin Lammerding, or “Lambo” as his teammates call him, is one of the most feared hitters in the 32 + division of the Inland Northwest Men’s Baseball League. As Spokane Hawks manager Pat Martin said, “He’s a great hitter and always finds a way to get the barrel on the ball.” Playing in his 11th year in the league, the former University of Jamestown team captain, All-American, and Team USA baseball member had a day that would have any stat junkie’s eyes popping.
The Spokane Hawks, in a doubleheader against the first-place Angels, saw ‘Lambo’ play his primary position catcher and went 3 for 4 with one RBI and two runs scored in a 14-4 win for the Hawks. A good game for any player in our league. But it was game two of the double-header where the magic happened, and one of the best hitters in the league, if not the best, had a day to remember.
Down seven runs in the first inning and with two men on base, Kevin stepped to the plate and hit a moon-shot home run to left field to pull the Hawks to within four runs. In the bottom of the second inning with the Hawks down 8-3 and a man on second base, Kevin hit a single to center field scoring another run and keeping the Hawks in a close game at 8-4.
Then, in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Hawks now down 9-5, had a man on second. Kevin, now dealing with shin splints, hit a double to left field scoring another RBI and inching the Hawks closer to the Angels, 9-6.
In the bottom of the seventh after a back-and-forth game that saw the Hawks take the lead and the Angels retake the lead back, Lambo stepped to the plate with a man on first for his final at-bat. After a hard foul ball, Kevin hit a shot to right field, grabbed another RBI, and gutted out a hard-earned triple to complete the cycle.
The Hawks dropped the game to the Angels 17-13 in a hard-fought contest. On the day Kevin went 7 for 9 with seven RBI and five runs scored.
Lambo’s competitive nature, positive attitude in the dugout, and ability behind the plate and in the batter’s box will keep the Hawks in the fight for a league title with the playoffs approaching.
