If you're like me, summertime means nights at the ball field. That has definitely been the case the past 10 days or so, and it doesn't seem like it will let up until next week.

Case in point (my life) from last week:
Monday: Practice with the VFW 15s that I help coach; Caught the last two innings of the Legion game with Plato.
Tuesday: Drove an hour or so for a 9-6 win over Sleepy Eye for the VFW 15s
Wednesday: Caught the Maple Lake/Huskies game at VMF....good first six innings, tough seventh inning.
Thursday: Needed an uplifting performance from the Huskies, and I got just that in a 10-1 win over Delano. My old roommate, Corey Ryks, finds his form of 2007 (30 straight scoreless innings a year ago), on the mound.
Friday: Watch the first game of the Legion doubleheader with Holy Family; go to Dassel for town ball game with Maple Lake. Saints win 2-1.
Saturday: Softball tournaments here in town; the VFW 15s are up in Dassel. Game time was 5:30 - got pushed back to 7. We were there until 11:30.
Sunday: Still sleeping, the 15s play Willmar at 10 a.m. Following an afternoon nap, I returned to Dassel to see the Huskies beat the Saints, 8-7.

It definitely was a fun week, and I got some sun (minus my white feet). The weather outside has been gorgeous and there really hasn't been much to complain about.

That was definitely the case Sunday. When Hutch and DC play, there isn't anything that beats it (town ball wise). You get the two benches chirping back and forth. Controversial calls. Excellent pitching (and hitting this year). A great ball park with boisterous fans. And, of course, a close game.

I kept waiting for Kyle Messner to hand the ball to Corey Trick, but he just kept battling and completed the game. He joked with me afterward that it might be two weeks before he's ready again (July 13 vs St. Michael?). Really folks, this guy is worth the price of admission alone. 20+ years of pitching and he's in better shape than most my age. It's all the hard work he puts in during the offseason (and it doesn't hurt that he has the support all of those women in his family).

As for the offense, Hutch is hitting .290 as a team right now. Last year the team hit .262. Then there is the home runs - 11 and we're only half way through the season. As a team last season, the Huskies only hit seven.

Five of the nine starters are hitting above .300 with Mike Kutter at .293. Brooks Albrecht seems to be getting it going after ripping two doubles Sunday (rest that hammie, son).

Complete stats:
http://www.leaguelineup.com/teams_baseball.asp?cmenuid=5&url=hutchhuskie...

Look for a story on Evan Kohli in Thursday's paper.

Other news:
* Hey Chicago, objects in your mirror are closer than they appear. Great blog from Lavelle Neal on the Milwaukee surge (http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/neal/)

* The Wild continue to disappoint. A defenseman with like five goals in all of his junior hockey time. Awesome. Plus the Rolston thing looks bad, and they missed on Olli Joikoinen.

* The Wolves are doomed to fail Thursday. I just say trade the pick for a proven star.

* Lindsay Whalen and the Sun are tied for first at 10-3. They were picked to finish second to last in the East by coaches.