LA CROSSE, WI – WHAT. A. GAME. If you left early tonight, you missed out on one of the most exciting endings in Loggers' history. What started out as a pitching duel through six innings, quickly turned into a slugfest. Your La Crosse Loggers pulled off an unlikely comeback, walk-off win tonight over the Mankato MoonDogs 9-8.
RHP Garrett Christman (Butler) threw an absolute gem allowing just two runs on five hits and impressively striking out eight batters in 7.1 innings of work. Relief appearances were made by both RHP Joe Rosenstein (Washington State) and RHP Chris Boettcher (Indianapolis), but it was the right-hander Charlie Fletcher (William & Mary) that would score the win tonight after pitching 2.0 innings allowing three runs, only one of those being earned, on three hits and collecting three strikeouts. Taking the loss tonight would be RHP Austin Hansen.
The Loggers' offense turned it on when they needed it most. Scoring all of their runs in the eighth inning or later, the Loggers would produce nine runs on 14 hits. Leading the way at the plate were Mitchell Morimoto (Arizona) going 1-for-4 with a RBI, Jorge Gutierrez (Texas A&M) going 2-for-4, Luke Rasmussen (Long Beach State) going 3-for-5 with three RBI thanks to a three-run blast over right-center fence to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, David Villar (South Florida) going 2-for-5 with four RBI thanks to a grand slam to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, and last but not least, Kennie Taylor (Duke) who hit the walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth inning to push the Loggers past the MoonDogs 9-8.
Hoping to use this momentum to continue winning ways for the remainder of the season, the Loggers will have the last game of this five-game homestand starting tomorrow at 7:05 PM against the Willmar Stingers. It is "MASCOT OLYMPICS" presented by DAIRY QUEEN OF ONALASKA! Local mascots will be competing for gold throughout the night. Tuesdays are "LA CROSSE TRIBUNE TWOsdays", so clip out the 2-for-1 ticket offer in the TWOsday Tribune and come on down to The Lumberyard! The gates open at 6:00 PM.
