Eau Claire 6, Battle Creek 5
Tony Vocca (Yavapai) gave the Eau Claire Express exactly what they needed, a quality start from their pitcher. Vocca did much more than that though, and the Express were able to scratch out a win against the Battle Creek Bombers, 6-5, in front of 2,258 fans at Carson Park. Vocca finished the game with 14 strikeouts, tying an Express single game record, set by Jon Bjelland in 2006 and T.J. Brewer in 2005. He went 7.0 innings and gave up seven hits and two earned runs to go with the 14 strikeouts. Evan Zerff (Long Island) came on in the ninth and shut down the Bombers to set the stage for the Express in the bottom of the ninth.
Brainerd 9, Alexandria 1
The Lunkers received a great pitching performance from right-handed starting pitcher Aaron Conyers (Sacramento City CC). Conyers threw 7.0 scoreless innings and only allowed seven hits. Brainerd received their offense from leadoff hitter Steven Brault (Regis) who hit 2-for-5 with two RBIs and one run scored in the victory. Wade Wass (Meridian CC) had three hits for the Lunkers and hit his 3rd home run of the 2011 season.
Rochester 3, St. Cloud 2
The Honkers picked up their second winning streak of the season, defeating the St. Cloud River Bats by a score of 3-2 tonight, improving their record to 7-9 on the season, trying to lessen the gap in the chase for the first half championship. The Honkers got a solid start out of Drew Bowen (Oral Roberts) making his second appearance, but first start of the season. Bowen would pitch the first 7.0 innings, allowing six hits and two runs, while striking out two batters. Jake Marasco (Kansas) had a strong day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Green Bay 9, Madison 0
The Bullfrogs have one of the best pitching staffs in the Northwoods League and they proved it on Thursday night at Joannes Stadium by shutting out the best offense in the NWL in the Madison Mallards. The ‘Frogs had a season-high 15 hits and two home runs in the 9-0 win. Green Bay put the game away in the seventh and eighth innings with a combined seven runs in the two innings. The Bullfrogs busted it open in the seventh with a three-run pinch hit home run to make it 5-0. The Bullfrogs are just a half gameback of the first-place Battle Creek Bombers and tied for second with the Mallards.
Wisconsin 7, Wisconsin Rapids 4
Wisconsin jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead after one inning of play and took the game 7-4 in front of 1,663 fans at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids. The Woodchucks’ Jonathan Boersma (CS-Dominguez Hills) is now 1-1 as he threw 6.0 innings of two run baseball. Justin Burns (UC San Diego) picked up his 1st save of the season in the win against the Rafters.
Waterloo 5, La Crosse 0
The Bucks’ Chase Stevens (Seminole State CC) threw a fantastic game on Thursday night against La Crosse. Stevens did not allow a run in 7.2 innings of work and only allowed one hit. Jeff Popick (Mesa State) provided the pop Thursday as he drove in three runs. Loggers Alex Najera (Pepperdine) took his 1st loss of the 2011 season at Copeland Park in La Crosse.
Thunder Bay 4, Willmar 2
Thunder Bay used back-to-back two run innings in the 5th and 6th to take the game 4-2 at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay. The Border Cats relief pitchers; Alec Smith (Oral Roberts), Donnie White (Nicholls State), and Lee Valenheck (Wright State)combined to allow no hits in the final 3.2 innings. Smith picked up the win while Valenheck threw the final 2.0 innings to pick up the save. Ty Wosleger (Fairfield) and Evan Weibel (Nicholls State) each had two hits in the win for Thunder Bay.
Duluth 8, Mankato 1
Duluth’s centerfielder Brian Hansen (St. Cloud State) and starting pitcher Joey Novak (Harvard) stole the show Thursday in Mankato. Hansen was 3-for-3 on the night with three RBIs and a stolen base while Novak picked up his 2nd win of the 2011 season. Novak threw 7.0 innings and only allowed four hits and one run. K.C. Clabough (Florida Tech) was 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Huskies in the win.