By: Pat Mullen

Kenosha, Wisc.- The bats have not been consistent for Battle Creek so far this season, but they were put on full display Monday night in Kenosha.

The Bombers racked up 16 hits as a team and scored double digits in runs, going on to win 10-5.

“It was good to see, obviously a couple of guys that I wanted to see get going produced today,” Coach Rob Robinson said postgame. “I was very happy with what came out of it and they had a very good approach tonight just as a whole team, very good,”

A couple players that Coach Robinson was referring to at the bottom of the order did a great job for the Bombers.

Sebastian Diaz (Miami) went 3-4 on the day, getting on base all five times.

“I haven’t really been hitting the way I’ve wanted to this year so I just wanted to put the ball in play,” Diaz said.

He then added “I got base hits and got on base for the team and scored some runs, then we got the win so that’s all that really matters.”

The “About the Team” approach is what is going to help get these Bombers on a win streak, and just like Diaz, Bryan Daniello (UConn) also stepped up tonight.

“I’ve kind of just been getting back into the swing of things and starting to feel better now,” Daniello mentioned in regards to coming into the Northwoods League with a fractured finger.

“I have been working hard at it and I took an outside pitch over the third baseman’s head to take the lead,” the Husky said. “It was big after we gave up two in the first, kind of a nice little punch back (for the Bombers).”

Battle Creek did fall down early as Daniello said when Pat Porter, leading the NWL in RBIs coming into the day, hit a two run homerun in the first inning off of Marcellus Sneed (Madison College).

Sneed was able to settle down, going five innings and leaving the game in line for the win.

The relief pitching was again pretty solid for the Bombers as a slew of guys entered in, finishing up with Josh Leone (Louisiana-Monroe).  Leone was again lights out, dropping his season ERA to 1.88.

The Bombsquad now heads to Lakeshore for a two game series with the Chinooks, who already swept the Bombers at C.O. Brown Stadium earlier this year.

The Chinooks have been playing good baseball, currently sitting at 18-9, sitting one game behind the Loggers for first place, but Coach Robinson has confidence in the upcoming series.

“I am hoping it (the hitting) does carry over,” quoted Robinson. “That is what we are really pushing for, to keep that same energy and to keep that same approach. Let’s get it going again tomorrow.”

The Bombers will hope to do just that, as first pitch will be 7:35 ET at Kapco Park.

 

Game Notes:

(WP) Marcellus Sneed (2-0): 5 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO (1.93 season ERA)

(SAVE, 1) Josh Leone (2-1): 1.1 IP, 2 SO (1.88 season ERA, 0.770 WHIP)

Sebastian Diaz: 3-4, 1 BB, 3 R, (on base all five times)

Bryan Daniello: 4-5, 1 R, 3 RBI

Connor Panas (Canisius): 2-4, HBP, 1 R, 2B, 2 RBI

Jared Foster (LSU): 2-5, 1 BB, 2 RBI

Laz Rivera (Miami): 2-5, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 3 R

The 7-9 hitters (Diaz, Daniello and David Richards IV) went 8-14 on the day with a combined four RBIs and five runs scored.

Jordan Hand, who just joined the Bombers last night, had his first appearance in the Northwoods League tonight with a pinch hit. Hand is the only player on the Bomber roster who is coming to the summer league right out of high school (Shadow Ridge H.S.). He will be attending Cal State Fullerton in the fall as a true freshman.

The Battle Creek Bombers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st 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 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). For more information, visit www.battlecreekbombers.com