Brainerd 4 – Rochester 2 (Game 1)
The Lunkers used a solo homer by T.J. Berge (Northern Colorado) in the first and a two-run blast by Mike Kvasnicka (Minnesota) in the fifth to defeat the Rochester Honkers, 4-2 in Game One of the doubleheader. The offense only had three hits on the night, two of which were the homers. Kvasnicka also chipped in a single to lead the team with his 2-for-3 affair. Dennis O’Grady (Duke) went the distance to pick up his sixth victory of the season. He allowed two runs in the first but blanked the Honkers after. He gave up seven hits but struck out seven as well.
Rochester 5 – Brainerd 0 (Game 2)
In the second game the Honkers bounced back, and Riley Bevill (Oregon), Nick Ramirez (Cal State Fullerton) and Arik Sikula (Marshall) combined to pitch a shutout across the seven innings while the Honkers offense went to work. Rochester took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Drew Beuerlein (UNLV) in the third inning, but made the lead comfortable in the fifth. A hit batsman, a walk and a single loaded the bases in front of Scott Berke (UNLV) who drove in two runs with a solidly hit double toward the scoreboard in right center to give Rochester a 3-0 lead. Another run would score in the inning and the Honkers added their fifth in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Chris Auten (New Mexico State). Bevill started the game and went three shutout innings allowing just three hits and striking out four before giving way to Ramirez who went the next three to earn the win and improve to 3-1 on the year. Michael Gedman (UMass) took the loss despite allowing just one run in 3.1 innings and fell to 3-4 on the year. Sequeira, Beuerlein and Berke each had two hits for the Honkers in the win.
Waterloo 6 – Madison 3
An 11-hit attack paced the Waterloo Bucks to a key win over Madison Friday night. Waterloo (14-12 second half, 24-35 overall) produced a two-run second inning rally and didn’t look back. Second baseman Zach McCool (Iowa) led three players with multiple-hit game, as he ended with three. Infielder Michael Giller (Illinois) jacked his third home run and center fielder Willie Argo (Illinois) added a two-hit night. The offensive output aided starting pitcher Rick Dodridge (Central Michigan) who gained his fourth win of the season. The visiting Mallards (13-11 second half, 32-26 overall) were topped by a three-for-three night by center fielder Jimmy Parque (St. John’s). With the win, Waterloo joined Madison in a tie for second behind Southern Division leading LaCrosse at a game-and-half back.
La Crosse 4 – Green Bay 2
Robert Brantly smoked a pitch deep into right field for a home run to propel La Crosse to a 4-2 win over Green Bay at Jones Sign Field inside Joannes Stadium on Friday night. With La Crosse (15-10, 36-23) leading by only a run, Brantly (UC-Riverside) laced a homer into the second row of the Leinies Fan Deck. It was his fifth long ball of the season and pushed the Loggers cushion to two runs, enough for the win. Green Bay’s (9-17, 23-36) season-long hitting woes continued as it managed five hits in the contest. The crushing element of the loss was the nine runners it left on base – six of which were in scoring position. Aaron Conway (Missouri State) tallied two hits for Green Bay, to go along with a stole base. He now leads the Northwoods League with 35 steals – nine more than second place’s Willie Argo of Waterloo. Collin Kuhn (Arkansas) also stole two bags in the game. Brantly was atop the Loggers lineup with two hits, while Austin Knight (Dallas Baptist) scored twice and recorded a double in the third frame. Madison Boer (Oregon) earned the victory on the mound in six innings of work. He fanned six batters, but walked four to go with his two runs he gave up. Craig Crumbly (Florida Gulf Coast) picked up his ninth save of the season. Joel Delorit (UW-Stevens Point) took the loss after tossing six innings on the bump. He scattered five hits and gave up three runs – one earned. He struck out five and finished the contest with three-consecutive strikeouts, all swinging.
Eau Claire 6 – Wisconsin 4
The Express ended July the same way they began it, by defeating the Wisconsin Woodchucks. The Express have now quietly rattled off three wins in a row to wrap up July. They defeated the Woodchucks this time 6-4. Wisconsin was in control of the game early but they did not capitalize on some of their chances to put the Express away. They scored one run in the first inning, but they left the bases loaded when Casey Rihn (South Carolina) grounded into a 1-2-3 double play. The Woodchucks threatened again in the fourth when they scored to take a 2-0 lead. But once again they left runners on base and the Express made them pay in the bottom half of the inning. The Express answered with two runs of their own to tie the game 2-2. The game stayed that way until the sixth inning when the Express broke it open. Drew Heithoff (Augustana) drew a one out walk and Aaron Fujiki (San Diego St.) was hit by a pitch. Nolan Fadness (UW-Oshkosh) singled to score Heithoff and two batters later Brooks Pinckard (Baylor) drove in two runs with a single to give the Express a 5-2 lead. In the seventh the Express added an insurance run to make the score 6-2. The Woodchucks threatened again in the ninth inning off of Express reliever Louis Head (Texas Tech). Head pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, but ran into trouble when the first three Woodchucks reached base to start the ninth inning. Wisconsin was able to push two runs across and get the tying run in scoring position with two outs. They also had their best hitter coming up in Brett Krill (UCLA). Head was able to strike Krill out though and send the Express home victorious. Trent Blank (Baylor) started for the Express. Blank struggled a bit early but was able to work out of some jams. As the game went on he really settled down and pitched seven innings to give the Express a much needed quality start. Blank gave up only two runs and struck out five batters in the process. Jon Ringenberg (Baylor) has not been used offensively too much recently as he as established himself as the team’s ace pitcher. But Friday night he was the designated hitter and he came up big for the Express. Ringenberg had three hits on the night to lead the Express offense. Fadness and Pinckard followed him with two hits each. The Express totaled 11 hits on the night.
St. Cloud – Battle Creek (Ssp.)
The St. Cloud River Bats game versus the Battle Creek Bombers was suspended due to rain in the bottom of the fourth inning in a scoreless ballgame. The game will resume tomorrow at 6:05 p.m. and will go the full nine innings. The regularly scheduled game will begin shortly after the completion of the first and will be a seven inning game.
Duluth @ Alexandria (Ppd.)
The game between the Beetles and Huskies was postponed due to unplayable field conditions. The two squads will play a pair of seven-inning games on Saturday, with first pitch set for 6:05 PM.
Mankato 8 – Thunder Bay 5 (11 Inn.)
After failing to complete a late comeback in last night’s game, and allowing a Border Cat comeback in game one, the MoonDogs finally turned the tables. After Ryan Durant tied the game in the ninth, the Dogs put together a three-run 11th to take an 8-5 victory over Thunder Bay at Port Arthur Stadium. Plating the winning run in the 11th inning was Xorge Carillo (Arizona State). Bryan Haar (San Diego) doubled and Durant singled to start the inning before Carillo singled to score the winning run. The rally continued, as a Tony Strazzara (San Diego) single led to a Danny Miller (Minnesota State) RBI single that brought home the second run of the frame. The Dogs plated the third run of the inning on an error by the catcher to give John Brebbia (Elon) all the runs he would need to finish up the contest. The comeback wasn’t without its hang-ups, as the Dogs (35-24, 12-14) looked to have the game wrapped up in the 10th. KC Serna (Oregon) tripled in two runs to give the Dogs a 5-3 lead, but David Phillips (Ole Miss) blasted a two-run home run in the bottom half to knot the game at five. The MoonDogs moved to 6-7 in extra inning games, as their 13 are one game ahead of the South Divison’s first half champion Eau Claire (9-3 in extras) for most in the league. After Phillips singled in Dean Forthun (Columbia) in the third, the MoonDogs responded with two in the fourth to take the lead. Brenden Webb (Palomar) walked and stole second to start the inning, and Evan Kohli (Illinois State) singled him home to plate the first run. Two batters later, Kohli came around on an error by the first basemen for a 2-1 MoonDogs lead. The Border Cats (13-12, 19-25) plated single runs in the fifth and sixth to re-take the lead. Matty Johnson (Bellevue) tabbed an RBI double in the fifth and Andrew Schugel (Central Arizona) lofted a sac fly to right for a 3-2 Thunder Bay lead before the late game fireworks. Brebbia recorded the win by throwing two perfect innings and striking out three. After Drew Erwin (Nicholls State) blew the save in the ninth, Matt Dwyer (Ripon College) suffered the loss allowing the three runs in the 11th for the Border Cats.
