By Luke Tanaka, Radio Broadcaster

Battle Creek, Mich. – Despite a three-run rally in the ninth, the Battle Creek Bombers dropped their sixth consecutive contest, falling to the Green Bay Bullfrogs 8-4. 

The Bombers put many runners in scoring position in the early innings, but could not deliver the key hit. Throughout the first six innings, the Bombers left eight runners on base and six of them in scoring position. All four of the Bombers runs came in the final three innings. 

The Bullfrogs jumped on Bombers starter Alden Cartwright (LSU) right away as the first three hitters of the game reached base. Logan Taylor (Louisville) started the game with single and Robb Paller (Columbia) grounded a ball to second that went under the glove of Lin Li (Taiwan), scoring Taylor from second. Danny Rosenbaum (Louisville) singled, but Cartwright locked in from there, striking out the next three batters he faced to end the inning. 

Taylor was once again was the catalyst for the Bullfrogs in the third as he scored to extend the lead to 2-0. He was hit by a pitch, which was followed by Paller’s single and Rosenbaum’s walk to load the bases. Ryan Donovan (Hofstra) hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Taylor, but that’s all they would get in the inning as Cartwright forced a fly out and a fielder’s choice to end the frame. 

Green Bay pulled away with a five-spot off of reliever Fred Manke in the fifth. Taylor again led off an inning be reaching base, this time with a double to left-center. A walk and a couple of singles followed. Then consecutive errors by Tyler Walsh (Belmont), one throwing and one fielding, cost the Bombers one more run. The Bullfrogs ended up scoring five runs in the inning (four earned).

Taylor added another Bullfrogs run in the sixth, scoring for the fourth time in the game. He singled to lead off the inning, moved two second on a passed ball, and scored after advancing a base on consecutive sacrifices. 

The Bombers broke through for one run in the seventh, finally capitalizing on a runner in scoring position. Walsh reached on a single and scored from third on an RBI single by Dan Swain (Siena).

Battle Creek rallied in the ninth for three runs off of before Green Bay finally ended the ballgame. With one out, Brennon Lund (BYU) walked and stole second. Cayce Bredlau (Austin Peay) singled him home to make the score 8-2. With two out, Bredlau crossed home plate when Christian Helsel (Penn State) doubled to deep centerfield and Helsel came home on Niko Pacheco’s (Cal State Fullerton) second single of the game. The threat ended when Li grounded out to third base. 

Swain led the Bombers offense once again, recording three hits for the second night in a row, while also recording an RBI. Bredlau and Pacheco both knocked around two hits, including a double and an RBI each. Helsel had the fourth Bombers RBI and added another Battle Creek double. 

In his first 2015 start with the Bombers, Cartwright was dealt the loss tossing four innings, allowing two runs (one earned), three hits and one walk, while striking out five Bullfrogs. He stranded four runners in his four innings. Manke finished his outing with three innings, allowing five runs (four earned), five hits, and one walk. He also struck out one. Michael Petersen (Riverside CC) finished the game with two shutout innings for the Bombers. 

Taylor went 3-4 for the Bullfrogs and scored all four times he reached base. Taylor’s college teammate Rosenbaum also had a big game as well with two hits and three batted in, while also scoring a run in the five-run fifth. 

Parker Hamilton (Florida Gulf Coast) received the win for Green Bay, throwing six shutout innings. He struck out seven Bombers and stranded eight runners on base (six in scoring position). Luke VanLanen (Valparaiso), Jake Stolley (Northwestern), and Jeremy Graf (St. Petersburg College) pitched the seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively, rounding out the victory for the Bullfrogs. 

The Bombers look to extend their perfect 2-0 record against the Kalamazoo Growlers tomorrow as the rivalry series continues with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch at C.O. Brown Stadium. 

The Battle Creek Bombers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). For more information, visit www.battlecreekbombers.com.

(Story photo courtesy of Battle Creek Photography and Design – Levi Green)