Mequon, WI – After splitting a two game series with the Kenosha Kingfish, the Lakeshore Chinooks return home to take on the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters and continue their six game home stand. The Chinooks kept the game close with early scoring and pitcher's duels, but came up short to the Rafters in a 3-2 loss.
The Chinooks came out ready to hit in the bottom of the first where they faced Rafters starter Enrique Zamora (Calumet College of St. Joseph) who came into the game with one loss and a 2.89 ERA in nine and one third innings pitched. Zac Taylor (Houston) led off the Chinooks order with a double off the left field wall. Tim Dalporto (Kent State) followed with an infield single and Matt Johnson (South Dakota State) drew a walk. Darius Sewell (Georgia State) came to the plate with the bases loaded and reached off a fielder’s choice scoring Taylor to make it 1-0 Chinooks.
Alex Rogers (North Dakota State) was sent to the mound for the Chinooks to make his fifth start of the season. Rogers came into the game with a 1.89 ERA in nineteen innings of work. The Rafters would strike on Rogers in the top of the second after Dustin Woodcock (SIU-Edwardvile) led off with a double to right center. Logan Mattix (Georgia College) smacked a single to left and Jacson McGowan (Purdue) ripped an RBI double bringing Woodcock and Mattix home to make it 2-1 Rafters.
After facing four batters in the top of the fourth, Rogers would be taken out after going three and two thirds innings giving up eight hits and two runs. The Chinooks went to the bullpen and brought in Brandon Baker (Georgia State) who appeared in nine games and came in with a 4.82 ERA.
The game turned into a pitcher’s duel very quickly after the scoring came to hault until the top of the seventh The Rafters scored the first run since the top of the second after Ben Fisher (Eastern Kentucky) roped a two out single to right and stole second. Rob Calabrese (Illinois-Chicago) drew a walk and Dustin Woodcock (SIU-Edwardsville) hit a fly ball single to left that scored Fisher making it 3-1 Rafters.
After pitching three innings and facing 14 batters, Baker would be taken out and Dazon Cole (Central Michigan) would take the mound for only his second appearance with the Chinooks this season and get them out of the top of the seventh. Cole would be solid on the mound going scoreless during his two and one third innings pitched and racked up 4 strikeouts.
In the bottom of the eighth, Johnson would continue to show off his power and smack a deep solo home run to center to make it 3-2 Rafters and give him five homeruns on the season and go an impressive 2-3 at the plate.
The Chinooks kept it close, but came up short after the Rafters brought in closer Garrett Schilling (Xavier) who went one, two, three in the bottom of the ninth earning him the save and securing the 3-2 win for his ball club.
The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd 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 150 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 (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visithttp://northwoodsleague.com/lakeshore-chinooks.
