Simonson shuts down Cedar Rapids, 4-1 Chris Simonson threw nearly seven innings of shutout baseball and picked up the victory in Beloit's 4-1 win over Cedar Rapids Saturday. Simonson, a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Pacelli High graduate, struck out 12 batters and allowed only two hits in 6-and-2/3 innings for the Snappers, a Class A affiliate for the Milwaukee Brewers. He didn't allow any walks either. With the win, Simonson improves to 4-2 on the season. He also lowered his earned run average to 3.89. In 34-2/3 innings pitched, he has struck out 29 and walked only six batters. Simonson has been on a hot streak since returning to the starting rotation in mid-July. In his first start since June, he didn't allow an earned run in 7-2/3 innings July 16 while picking up the win. * * * SULLIVAN UPDATE: Pacelli High graduate Kevin Sullivan has collected five hits and drove in a run over the last week while playing for the Batavia Muckdogs, a Class A affiliate for the Philadelphia Phillies. Sullivan, playing as the Muckdogs' designated hitter, went 2-for-3 with a walk in a 6-1 loss at Vermont Sunday. He scored Batavia's only run, in the third inning, and stole his first base of the season. On Monday, Sullivan doubled and drove in a run. After going 5-for-7 at the plate over the last seven days, Sullivan raised his batting average to .176. He also has collected eight walks. * * * BOMBERS TITLE HOPES DASHED: Former University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Jose Banda scored the only touchdown for the Green Bay Bombers last Saturday as the Bombers' season ended in a 21-10 loss to the Steel Valley Smash in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Bombers (11-5), the defending Gold Cup champions in the Indoor Football League, gained only 133 yards on offense in the conference semifinal loss. In Green Bay's first-round game, the Bombers routed Dayton 64-23. Banda caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Brian Tomalak, a former UW-Oshkosh quarterback, in the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7. But the Smash responded with touchdowns in the second and third quarters sandwiched between a third-quarter Green Bay field goal. Banda finished with three catches for 75 yards. Shane Konop, a Pacelli High graduate and former UW-SP player, played on Green Bay's defensive unit.