The 17th season of Northwoods League Baseball started off in seven cities with a handful of great games. The season was kicked of with some great pitching performances across the league coupled with some timely hitting.
In the first game of the night, The Thunder Bay Border Cats hosted the Duluth Huskies and won the game 1-0. Garrett Yount (Rollings College) threw 6.1 innings of shutout baseball. Thunder Bay scored its only run in the bottom of the 1st inning as Tyler Pryor (Fresno Pacific) scored on an RBI groundout by Evan Mistich (Panola CC). Outfielders Garret Houts (USC) and Ken Battison (Eastern Michigan) both went 2-4 at the plate to make a winner of Mike Steed in his managerial debut.
Alexandria kicked off their 10th season in the NWL hosting the Brainerd Area Lakes Lunkers. The Beetles lost to the Brainerd 4-0 in what was a pitching duel for most of the night. The Beetles bats could not solve Brainerd righty Kyle Teague (Oakland). Teague went six innings while striking out six and walking none. The Lunkers were led by Craig Massey (Bethel) who had two-run homerun in the 8th inning.
The Bucks of Waterloo were home to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters who are in their inaugural season with the NWL. The Bucks won 3-1 due to a great pitching performance by Jerrod Wagoner (Butler) who threw a three hitter threw seven innings. The Bucks were paced offensively by Jake Astor (Southern Arkansas) who went 2-4.
Starting pitcher Ryan Demmin (Minnesota State Mankato) stole the show in Mankato against the Rochester Honkers. Demmin went 7.1 innings, scattering three hits while striking out 12 batters and leading the Moondogs to a 1-0 victory. Center fielder Jose Perez (Kishwaukee CC) drove in the games only run with an infield single with one out in the fourth.
A Copeland Park crowd of 3,268 fans saw the La Crosse Loggers shut out the Eau Claire Express with three quality pitchers. Calvin Drummond (San Diego State) earned the win on the mound while throwing five innings and giving up no runs and two hits. The final four innings were also scoreless ball led by Kodey Simon (Winona State) throwing three innings and La Crosse native Tony Mueller (Winona State) finishing off the ninth. The Loggers scored early in the contest on a two RBI single by Frazier Hall (Southern University).
The Madison Mallards defeated the Wisconsin Woodchucks 8-1 in a rain delayed season opener. A crowd of 6,086 fans came out to the “Duck Pond” to watch the Mallards win their first game behind great offense and starting pitching. Mallards’ starter Matt Heaslip (Kankakee CC) received the win while Andrew Klausmeier (Cal State – Dominguez) took the loss. The Madison offense was led by Illinois teammates Adam Davis and Josh Parr. Davis went 3-4 with an RBI and Parr hit a three-run blast to left-center in the fifth inning.
The Green Bay Bullfrogs protected their home turf while beating the Battle Creek Bombers 7-0. The Bullfrogs scored in the bottom of the first inning to go ahead up 2-0. That was enough for left-handed pitcher Riley Tincher (UW-Whitewater). Tincher went seven innings while only allowing two hits. The Bullfrogs were led at the plate by Joel Hutter, who was 3-5 with two RBIs. Also leading the way for Green Bay was Joe Betcher (Illinois-Chicago) who was 2-4. The Bullfrogs were active on the bases stealing five bases.
