After Mother Nature wiped out a few games last night, the Northwoods League battled through fog delays that resulted in a pair of early finishes. Saturday night's full slate included a few late-game heroics with a walk-off victory for the Wisconsin Woodchucks and a game-saving catch in right field to secure the win for the unbeaten Mankato MoonDogs. The Madison Mallards and Mankato are the only two teams that remain undefeated in the Northwoods League.
Rochester 9, La Crosse 6
The Rochester Honkers picked up their first victory of the season on Saturday night with a 9-6 victory over the La Crosse Loggers. The first three Rochester batters reached base in the top of the first inning, and all three scored to take an early lead. La Crosse scored in the first, second and third innings but still trailed 6-5 following the third. Loggers' third baseman David Jacob (Quincy) cut the lead to a single run again in the bottom of the seventh with a run-scoring single. The Honkers responded by adding a pair of insurance runs in the eighth, and La Crosse went down in order in the eighth and ninth innings.
Madison 11, Wisconsin Rapids 1
The Madison Mallards improved their record to a league-best 5-0 after another blowout victory on Saturday night. Madison scored four runs in the top of the first inning and six more in the third to take an early 10-0 advantage. Cameron Frost (Washington State) hit 4-for-6 with two runs scored and a RBI for Madison, and Matt Vierling (Notre Dame) finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and four RBIs to be named Northwoods League Position Player of the Night. The Mallards used seven pitchers, and Alex Hintze (UCONN) picked up the victory in two scoreless innings of work.
Kenosha 2, Waterloo 1
The Kenosha Kingfish defeated the Waterloo Bucks 2-1 in a five-inning game that was called due to fog. Kingfish starter Derek Heffel (Madison College) pitched the full five innings and allowed a run that was not earned on three hits and no walks with nine strikeouts. Waterloo's shortstop Blake Alexander (Dallas Baptist) singled home a run to tie the game at 1 in the top of the fifth, but Kenosha's Nick Kanavas (Madison College) scored on an error in the bottom of the inning, which wound up being the game-winning victory.
Kalamazoo 9, Battle Creek 0
Kalamazoo Growlers' starting pitcher BJ Butler (Ball State) threw the first complete game of the season in the Northwoods League and finished with a shutout against the Battle Creek Bombers on Saturday night. The righthander from Mattawan, Michigan allowed six hits and now walks with eight shutouts. Butler was named Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night in his season debut. Kalamazoo received solid hitting up and down the lineup, as eight of nine batters in the starting lineup recorded hits. Growlers Kasey Cooper (Arkansas Fort Smith) and Nick Hutchins (Southern Illinois) each belted home runs in the victory.
Wisconsin 4, Rockford 3
The Wisconsin Woodchucks defeated the Rockford Rivets on Saturday night in walk-off fashion for a 4-3 victory. With one out in a 3-3 ballgame in the bottom of the ninth and runners at the corners, Steve Passatempo (UMass Lowell) reached on a fielder's choice to second base to score Steven Mangrum (Virginia Tech) from third base for the win. Passatempo hit 3-for-5 on the night with two RBIs and a run scored, and Mangrum finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a run batted in, including a solo home run in the seventh.
Lakeshore 2, Green Bay 1
In another game that finished early due to fog, the Lakeshore Chinooks defeated the Green Bay Bullfrogs in five innings. Lakeshore starter Zach Spears (Miami-Ohio) threw a complete five innings and allowed a run on two hits and four walks with nine strikeouts for the victory. Chinooks' first baseman Matt Johnson (South Dakota State) connected on a run-scoring double in the bottom of the first, and Lakeshore scored again in the fourth with a RBI groundout from Kevin Riley (Chaffey CC). Green Bay scored its lone run in the top of the fifth when second baseman Raymond Greco (UW-Stevens Point) reached home on a groundout.
Willmar 7, Eau Claire 4
The Willmar Stingers scored four runs in the top of the first inning and defeated the Eau Claire Express 7-4 on the road. After the four-run lead, Eau Claire chipped away and came within a run after four innings, but the Stingers scored three more in the top of the seventh highlighted by a two-RBI single from Kole Cottam (Kentucky). Eau Claire's Daulton Varsho (UW-Milwaukee) smashed his fourth home run of the season on a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the seventh in the loss. Ty Tice (Central Arkansas) picked up the win for Willmar and struck out nine batters in the game.
St. Cloud 6, Thunder Bay 0
In a game between teams who entered the day at 0-4, the St. Cloud Rox got on the win column with a shutout victory over the Thunder Bay Border Cats. St. Cloud left-hander Logan Salow (University of Kentucky) pitched a gem with seven scoreless innings on three hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts. The Rox scored two runs in the top of the first on a double from right fielder Marcus Carson (University of Kentucky). St. Cloud center fielder TJ Friedl (Nevada Reno) hit 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two runs batted in in the team's first victory.
Mankato 4, Duluth 3
The Mankato MoonDogs held on to defeat the Duluth Huskies 4-3 on a game-ending sliding catch from Ridge Smith (Austin Peay) in the bottom of the ninth inning. With a runner at second and two outs, Grant Farley (Minnesota – Duluth) hit a ball to shallow right field, and Smith made the play for the win to keep the MoonDogs unbeaten this season. After Duluth took a 3-2 lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Mankato responded with two runs of its own in the top of the eighth, capped off by a sacrifice fly from Smith to score Austin Peay teammate Chase Hamilton for the game-winning run.
Sunday's Schedule
La Crosse @ Rochester (1:05 PM)
Thunder Bay @ St. Cloud (1:05 PM)
Kalamazoo @ Battle Creek (1:05 PM)
Mankato @ Duluth (3:05 PM)
Rockford @ Wisconsin (3:05 PM)
Lakeshore @ Green Bay (4:05 PM)
Waterloo @ Kenosha (4:05 PM)
Madison @ Wisconsin Rapids (4:05 PM)
Willmar @ Eau Claire (5:05 PM)
