Alexandria 3, Duluth 2

Alexandria 6, Duluth 2

Anthony Bazzani earned the victory for the Beetles by throwing three innings of shutout relief. The Huskies got on the board in the first inning when leadoff hitter KC Clabough doubled off starter Corey Miller and came around to score on a wild pitch. The Beetles took the lead in the top of the third inning when Nick Gumm scored via an error by catcher Chris Manship, and Chris Fritts tripled home Ben Magsig to make the score 2-1. The lead would last until the bottom of the sixth inning when Brian Hansen scored on an Adam Humes double to tie the ballgame. The Beetles scored the winning run in the top of the ninth. Bobby Martin hit a weak grounder to the Huskies shortstop that trickled through his legs and into left field allowing Vavra to score from second base. 

Brainerd 2, St. Cloud 1

St. Cloud 4, Brainerd 3

The Lunkers started off the second half of the season by splitting a doubleheader with the River bats, taking game one 2-1 and falling in game two 4-3 on Thursday night at Joe Faber Field. 
John McLeod got the start in game one for the Lunkers, as he went the full 7.0 innings surrending only a solo home run to Bryan Haar. McLeod picked up his first win of the season. Zach Hirsch took the loss for St. Cloud, he also threw 7.0 innings. Andrew Letourneau picked up an RBI for the Lunkers in the win. 


In game two, James Farris got the start for the Lunkers, going 5.0 innings and giving up four runs, two of which were unearned. Farris took the loss in that game. 
Andy Urban picks up the win for St. Cloud after going 5.1 innings and giving up only two runs on three hits. 
St. Cloud’s Carlos Lopez hit a solo home run into right field in the 1st inning. 
The Lunkers battled back to makeit a 4-3 game with one out in the top of the 7th with runners at the corners and one out, but Nick Hamilton grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the game. Travis Unthank records his fifth save for St. Cloud.

La Crosse 5, Eau Claire 0

The La Crosse Loggers started the second half of the 2011 season on the right foot defeating the Eau Claire Express 5-0 at Carson Park on Thursday night. La Crosse would score two in the top half of the first to gain the early lead and that would prove to be enough for Loggers starter Brando Tessar.  Tessar would throw 8.0 shutout innings, surrendering only three hits while improving to 4-0 and dropping his ERA to 2.06 on the season. The Lumbermen would pound out ten hits on the night with eight of them coming off the bats of Andrew Knapp (Cal) and Corey LeVier (San Diego) who both continue to stay red hot.  Knapp was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate Thursday night with a double and an RBI.

Wisconsin 10, Wisconsin Rapids 1

For the better part of Thursday’s game, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters seemed poised to open the second half with a win. However, back to back four run innings by the Wisconsin Woodchucks ended those hopes in a 10-1 Rafters defeat. The Woodchucks’ Austin Coleman was 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and Cody Regis was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Tom Briner picked up the win as he threw 7.0 innings of four hit baseball. 

Rochester 9, Mankato 4

The slates were wiped clean today when the Honkers traveled to Mankato, to take on the MoonDogs in the opening game of the second half.  The Honkers would start the second half in the opposite direction they started the season against the MoonDogs, with a 19 hit, and nine run offensive output, to finally break out of their slump and get a win, 9-4. Johnny Coy had his second consecutive three RBI game, this time with a home run in his first at-bat, following with two singles and a double, going 4-for-5 at the plate. Anthony Hutting was a home run shy of the cycle, going 4-for-4 on the day with a walk.  Hutting started his day with a bunt single, and an overthrow that sent him all the way to third base, he followed the single up with a double, then a triple and another single, in that order. 

Battle Creek 10, Waterloo 4

The Bombers opened the season’s second half with a display of dominance on Thursday night, crushing the Waterloo Bucks 10-4 at C.O. Brown Stadium, one night removed from clinching their first-ever playoff appearance. Battle Creek scored first, recording a pair of runs in the third when Brendan Norton hit an inside-the-park home run to right field, bringing Matt Hitt along for the ride. The Bombers struck again in the fifth when Bryce Redeker burst free of his slump, scoring two on a double. Battle Creek piled on in the seventh and eighth innings, scoring six collective insurance runs in the process. Nick Frey made his second start and threw a gem: 5.0 innings, three hits, and just one run while striking four and not allowing a single walk. John Morrision was impressive in his 2.1 innings, while Scott Mariner finished the job.

Madison 4, Green Bay 3

The Madison Mallards defeated the Green Bay Bullfrogs 4-3 Thursday night at Joannes Stadium in the opening game of the second half of the 2011 Northwoods League season. The game featured prominent pitching performances from both teams, but it would be offense that won the game in the end for the Mallards. Trailing by one run in the seventh, the Mallards put a nice rally together, scoring two runs to take a 4-3 lead. Michael Hendel walked to lead off the inning for the Mallards, and Brent Kuper followed with a fielder’s choice and was safe at first with Handel reaching second safely. After Trey Watkins successfully sacrificed the runners to second and third, Willie Argo drove in Handel on a sacrifice fly, and Zack Powers drove in Kuper on a two-out single to provide the winning margin. The win went to reliever Travis Parker.

Thunder Bay 10, Willmar 8

The Border Cats opened the second half of the Northwoods League season by holding on for a 10-8 win over the Stingers in Willmar Thursday night.  The victory also snapped Thunder Bay’s four game losing skid.  Ty Woselger belted a grand slam as part of six-run 2nd inning as the Cats built up a 10-2 by the top of the 7th.  Woselger, who had two hits in the win, has knocked in seven runs in the past two games and leads the club with 17 RBI’s.  However, the Stingers mounted a comeback scoring six times in the final three innings, but Brad Delatte escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the 9th inning by striking out the side.  Taylor Bratton pitched six strong innings for his first win of the season.  The lefthander from Oakville, ON., gave up two runs on eight hits with no walks and six strikeouts as he improved his record to 1-2