By Max Gun, Radio Broadcaster

The Battle Creek Bombers took game one in their series against the La Crosse Loggers Monday night, surviving a ninth inning rally to win 7-5.

The Bombers jumped out to an early lead by scoring three runs in the very first inning. Brennon Lund (BYU) led off the inning with a single, and Lin Li (Taiwan) walked to put runners at first and second base. With one out, newcomer Garry Russo (Miami-Ohio) put a charge into one and parked it over the right field wall for a three-run home run. Russo’s first home run of the season made it 3-0 Bombers in the first.

Battle Creek scored another run in the third inning. Lund led off with a double, and Li knocked him in with a single to put the Bombers in front 4-0.

La Crosse started to chip into the Bombers lead in the sixth. Mason McCoy (Iowa) led off the sixth inning with a solo home run to left-center field off of Bombers starter Edgar Sanchez (Prairie View A&M). That made the score 4-1. Then Jordan Zimmerman (Michigan State) walked, Brock Lundquist (Long Beach State) singled and Chris Baker (Washington) walked to load the bases with one out. Sanchez got Ronnie Gideon (Texas A&M) to strike out, but with Keith Skinner (North Florida) hitting, Sanchez uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Zimmerman to score, bringing the Loggers within two runs. After walking Skinner to reload the bases, Sanchez was able to get Zander Clarke (UCLA) to fly out to end the threat.

Battle Creek padded their lead in the seventh inning. Li doubled with one out, and then with two down, Russo hit a routine ball to center field. Denz’l Chapman (San Diego State) was under it, but the ball popped out of his glove for an error, allowing Li to score with Russo moving into second base. That gave Battle Creek a 5-2 lead. Then Niko Pacheco (Cal St Fullerton) followed with an RBI-single, plating Russo to give the Bombers a 6-2 cushion.

But the Bombers weren’t finished. In the eighth inning, Christian Helsel (Penn State) led off with a single and eventually scored on a Li RBI-single, to push Battle Creek’s lead to 7-2.

The Loggers rallied in the ninth inning off of Mason Marshall (BYU), but it wasn’t enough. They scored three runs after Clark doubled and scored on a fielder’s choice, and Lundquist knocked in two runs with a double of his own before Marshall closed it out, with the Bombers hung on 7-5.

Sanchez (4-1) picked up the win after going 6 innings. He allowed 6 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out a season-high 6. Kaleb McCurry (Mars Hill University) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Sanchez before handing the ball to Marshall for the ninth.

Ryan Marks (Columbia) (2-3) took the loss for the Loggers. He lasted just 4 innings, allowing 4 earned runs on 5 hits. Chris Tate (Trinity University) made his Northwoods League debut in relief of Marks and pitched 2 and one-thirds scoreless innings without allowing an earned run.

Lund and Li each had three hits for the Bombers, while Pacheco and Helsel each had two knocks.

The win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Bombers; as it’s their first win post All-Star break, improving their record to 20-39. Battle Creek’s road trip concludes on Tuesday night, when they’re set to face the Loggers for the final time this season. First pitch is at 8:05 p.m. Eastern Time. Nick Medeiros (Santa Clara) is the scheduled starter.

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)