LA CROSSE, WI – The La Crosse Loggers stormed back from a 5-2 deficit with eight unanswered runs late to race to 10-5 home opening victory on Thursday night in front of 2,831 fans at Copeland Park.
La Crosse did jump out to an early 2-0 lead, going right to work in the home half of the first. Mason McCoy (Iowa) walked to lead it off and Jordan Zimmerman (Michigan State) tripled into the right field corner to get things rolling. Zimmerman would come into score later in the inning to get the home crowd going early.
Wisconsin Rapids would respond in a big way though with a four-run second inning off of Loggers starter Zach Lewis (Wichita State) to take a 4-2 lead. The Rafters would tack on another in the sixth to push their lead to 5-2 and looked in control at that point. That's when the Logger bats went to work.
Riley Adams (San Diego) led off the bottom of the sixth with a double and later came around to score and the Lumbermen tacked on one more to trim Wisconsin Rapids lead to 5-4.
Zimmerman and Jacob Boston (Mesa CC) would both single then to start the seventh before a walk to Adams loaded the bases. One out later Michael Echavia (Chabot College) singled to right to drive in two and give the Loggers a lead they would never relinquish. La Crosse would add one more in the seventh and tack on three more in the eigth to give them the 10-5 lead before Jordan Jess (Minnesota) come on to strike out the side in the 9th to secure the victory.
La Crosse pounded out 12 hits on the night lead by Zimmerman's three safeties and McCoy's pair of knocks. Nine different Loggers collected hits on the night. Liam Carter (Missouri) earned the victory with two scoreless innings of relief.
With the win the Loggers improved to 2-1 on the young season. The same two teams will meeet again on Friday night back at The Lumberyard for a 7:05 p.m. start. Gates open at 6 on Mayo Clinic Health System night at the park with a Fireworks Extravaganza to follow the ballgame.
