Foundering Falcons

July 2--As losing streaks go, the Salina Pestinger Falcons skid of three consecutive games isn't all that earth shaking.

But the current mini-slump needs to turn around in hurry -- today in fact -- if the Falcons hope to contend for a Kansas Grand Slam tourney title this holiday weekend.

Salina dropped its pool play opener Friday afternoon, falling 6-3 to the Wichita 17 Reds at James Matson Field. That follows back-to-back losses earlier this week -- also at home -- to Hays, giving the Falcons their first three-game losing streak of the season.

"We've got to put it together because we've played poor baseball the last three games," said Salina head coach Ryan Kolzow. "It's a bad time of the season to be playing poor baseball."

The Falcons (22-7) will play twice today and have to win at least one to have a chance to advance to the bracketed portion of the tournament. They'll face the Brighton (Colo.) Bulldogs at 11:15 a.m., and close pool play against the Columbus (Neb.) Blues at 8:15 p.m. Both games will be played at Dean Evans Stadium.

The Reds were making their Grand Slam debut on Friday, scoring six runs on six hits while getting a complete-game effort from pitcher Dalton Genter.

"The last time (Genter) threw, he got roughed up a little," said Wichita coach Ryan Bensch. "We thought we'd stick him out there and see how he would do. His pitch count was up, but he threw pretty well and made a couple of big plays on line drives hit right back at him."

Genter gave up three walks, but none came back to hurt him or his team. The same could not be said for the Falcon pitchers, who walked six, hit two batters and had two wild pitches.

The Salina defense also committed two errors and had a passed ball, leading to two unearned runs.

"We are still sloppy defensively," Kolzow said. "We're giving teams too many extra bases with missed cutoffs, wild pitches and passed ball. It's just sloppy."

The Falcons took their only lead by scoring twice in the bottom of the third. With two outs and nobody on, Chance Thomason's single was the team's first hit. He scored on a double by Taylor Bradley, who made it 2-0 when he raced home on a single from Vince Froome.

The Reds took the lead for good in the top of the fourth, batting around and scoring four runs on two hits, two walks and two hit batters.

Salina Journal News: U2 plane shows up in Salina

By TIM UNRUH

Salina Journal

A large business jet likely associated with the rock band U2 landed and refueled Wednesday night at Salina Municipal Airport.

A flight attendant told workers for Flower Aviation of Salina that members of the band were on board, said Doug Livergood, general manager at the fixed base operator business.

However, Livergood said he wasn't sure who was on board.

The sign "U2 360" was painted on the side of the large jet, which landed about 8 p.m.

"They refueled and went on," Livergood said.

The plane was bound for Santa Monica, Calif., he said.

Occupants of the plane ordered food catered from Tucson's Steakhouse Saloon & Grill, 2750 S. Ninth, said Wesley Lytle, kitchen manager at Tucson's.

The order consisted of steak and chicken kabobs for 38 people, Lytle said.

A writer associated with the website atu2.com, claiming to be the oldest independent website about the band, wrote in an email that Bono and guitarist The Edge were assumed to be on the plane.

U2 is performing a concert tonight in Anaheim, Calif., and on Monday, Bono and The Edge will appear on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, the website reports.

Famous folks land at the Salina airport often, Livergood said.

"A jet came in last (Wednesday) night that's owned by (movie producer) Oliver Stone," he said.

Livergood didn't know if Stone was on board.

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by email at tunruh@salina.com.

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