Green Bay 2 – Waterloo 0

It was Green Bay starter Zach Varce (pictured left) who won the pitcher’s duel on Sunday afternoon, as the Bullfrogs dropped the Waterloo Bucks for the second straight game in a 2-0 win inside Riverfront Stadium. Varce (Portland) fanned nine Bucks’ batters and surrendered three hits over seven innings on the hill to earn his first win of the season. Meanwhile, Waterloo (7-17) starter Scott Williams (UW-Stevens Point) tossed eight frames, giving up four hits and a pair of runs. The blank scoreboard changed in the sixth inning when Nick O’Shea (Minnesota) took the first pitch he saw over the left field wall, giving the Bullfrogs a 1-0 advantage and all the scoring they would need. Green Bay (11-12) added an insurance run in the seventh frame when Sam VandenHeuvel (Rhode Island) crossed home plate on a strikeout passed ball. The Bullfrogs’ bullpen shutout Waterloo over the final two innings as Dixon Anderson (California) earned his second-consecutive save and fifth of the season. He threw a scoreless ninth inning and struck out two. Varce pushed his league leading strikeout total to 49, which are 17 more than Tim Griffin (Rollins) of Mankato.

St. Cloud 4 – Battle Creek 3

The Battle Creek Bombers came up a run short on Father’s Day, falling to the St. Cloud River Bats 4-3. River Bats starter Nick Sutherland (Viterbo) held the Bombers hitless through 4 innings, and aside from a 3-run fifth inning the Bombers’ offense couldn’t get anything going today. River Bats pitchers held the Bombers to only 5 hits, 4 of them coming in that 3-run fifth. The River Bats started the game hot, with left fielder Nick Longmire (Pacific) hitting a solo home run in the first inning. The River Bats added 3 more runs in the third inning, extending the lead to 4-0. However, after the third inning Bombers pitchers settled down. The Bombers allowed only 1 hit in the last six innings, and after the fourth inning no River Bats batter reached second base. The Bombers closed the gap in the fifth inning with RBI doubles by Greg Annarummo (Elon) and Chris Lewis (Western Michigan). However, the Bombers stranded the tying run in scoring position, and the River Bats’ bullpen kept the Bombers from threatening again. Connor Lambert (Washington State) entered the game in the ninth, holding the Bombers hitless and earning his 5th save of the season.

Wisconsin 4 – La Crosse 2

The Wisconsin Woodchucks were able to salvage the final game of the two game series against the Loggers in a sloppy 4-2 ball game. The scoring started off in the top of the third with an RBI single by Terrance Jackson (Oklahoma City) driving in Troy Frazier (Kentucky).  The Woodchucks struck again the next inning when Mike Mucheson (New Mexico JC) scored on a wild pitch by starting pitcher Kyle Simon (Arizona).  La Crosse was able to get a run back in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Nick Baligod (Oral Roberts).  Two errors in the top of the sixth led to Wisconsin getting one run to take back their two run lead until Boomer Collins (Nebraska) came up for La Crosse to cut the lead back to one.  The Woodchucks would complete the job in the top of the eighth when they scored on a wild pitch to capture the 4-2 victory. Leading the way for Wisconsin was Mike Mutcheson and Troy Frazier each going 2-4 with a run scored.  Woodchucks pitcher Bryce Shafer (Valparaiso) earned his second win of the season pitching 5.2 innings giving up one earned run on six hits with and four strikeouts.

Alexandria 4 – Thunder Bay 3

Down to their final out in the ninth, Beetle’s shortstop Vance Albitz (UC-San Diego), drove a two-run double down the right field line, erasing a one-run deficit and pushing Alexandria past Thunder Bay 4-3.  Albitz knocked in all four runs for the Beetles, finishing 3-5 at the plate with a double and two singles.  Matt Dwyer (Ripon) gave up the two-bagger after walking two batters to start the inning.  Matt Miller (Michigan), who committed a run-producing error to give the ‘Cats the lead in the eighth, threw a perfect ninth to earn the win. Thunder Bay got the scoring started in the first against Mitch Handley (North Alabama).  The right-hander walked two in the frame, and then gave up back-to-back RBI singles.  Handley would recover in a hurry, working into the eighth with those same two runs on the scoreboard. Alexandria countered with two in the top of the fifth.  With two out and two in scoring position, Albitz delivered a clutch base hit rolled inside the third base bag. The Beetles had plenty of chances to add runs in the game, but left nine runners stranded in the game. In the eighth, Mitch Handley hit his second batter of the game and was relieved by Miller.  With the go-ahead run at second base, AJ Schugel (Central Arizona CC) bounced one back to Miller who, after knocking it down behind the mound, threw errantly to first, allowing Cameron Smith (New Mexico) to come around and score. Thunder Bay then went to Dwyer in the ninth and, after Jayson Langfels hit a pinch-hit flyout to center field, pinch-hitter Marcus Semien (Cal) and Mike O’Neill (USC) drew walks.  After Sean Olenek (Mercer) flew out for the second out of the inning, Albitz drove a 1-1 pitch down the right field line, plating both runners.

Brainerd @ Rochester (Ppd.)

The scheduled game between Rochester and Brainerd was been postponed due to weather. The game will be made up the next time Brainerd visits Mayo Field, on Friday July 31st as part of a double header.

Eau Claire 1 – Madison 0 – Suspended in 2nd Inning

The weather has not been very favorable to the Eau Claire Express so far this season. For the fourth time already this year a game has been postponed due to inclement weather. After a 1:08 rain delay before the game, the teams tried to get the game in. But in the second inning, the rain came again and did not stop. Fortunately Madison is back in town on Thursday and the teams will be able to make up the game then. Thursday will feature a double header between the Mallards and the Express.

Mankato 2 – Duluth 2 – Suspended in 11th Inning