As the Northwoods League schedule hits the dog days of summer, the weather gets hotter and games get longer. The second part was certainly the case at Kapco Park on Sunday, as the Lakeshore Chinooks outlasted the Green Bay Bullfrogs with a run in the bottom of the 13th inning for the victory in an exciting day around the league.
Willmar 10, Rochester 6
The Willmar Stingers finished with 14 hits in a 10-6 victory over the Rochester Honkers on the road Sunday afternoon. Several Stinger players had big games at the plate. Shortstop Quincy McAfee (Pepperdine) hit 4-for-5 with a walk and two runs scored. Centerfielder Danny Pardo (Montevallo) knocked in four runs and finished 3-for-5 with a walk and a pair of runs scored, including a three-run homer. Willmar rightfielder Justin Toerner (Cal State Northridge) reached base on all three plate appearances, as he hit 3-for-3 with a walk, and three RBI and a run scored with a home run. Stingers' pitcher Tyler Hanson (Minnesota) went eight innings and allowed four runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout for the win.
Battle Creek 4, Rockford 2
The Battle Creek Bombers took down the Rockford Rivets 4-2 on Sunday afternoon at home. Battle Creek starter Cody Puckett (Middle Tennessee State) threw 6 1/3 innings and allowed one run on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts to pick up the victory. The Bombers held a 3-0 lead after five innings with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth. Rockford scored on the seventh with one run, but Battle Creek answered with one in the eighth. The final score of the game came in the ninth with a run by Rockford, but it was not enough to beat the Bombers.
Kenosha 2, Wisconsin Rapids 1
The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters scored once in the third, and the Kenosha Kingfish answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning for the lone scoring of the game in a 2-1 Kenosha victory. Demetrius Sims (Bethune-Cookman) hit a sacrifice fly to score the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. Kenosha's Micah Coffey (University of Minnesota) doubled to score the first run for the Kingfish, and he scored one batter later on a RBI-single hit by Marty Bechina (Michigan State). Kingfish starting pitcher Chase Thurston (Eastern Illinois) threw five innings and surrendered just one run on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
Thunder Bay 4, Wisconsin 2
A three-run fourth inning lifted the Thunder Bay Border Cats passed the Wisconsin Woodchucks by a score of 4-2 on Sunday. Thunder Bay scored one in the bottom of the first inning to open up the scoring, and Wisconsin scored a single run in the third and fourth to take a 2-1 lead before the Border Cats rallied for three in the bottom half of the inning, including a solo home run hit by Anthony Brocato (St. Johns University) to lead off the inning for his sixth home run of the season. Shannon Broussard (Cedar Valley) picked up the win in five innings of work. He gave up two runs on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
Madison 6, Kalamazoo 0
The Madison Mallards held the Kalamazoo Growlers scoreless on Sunday in a 6-0 road victory. Madison starter Mitchell Kilkenny (Texas A&M) threw seven shutout innings and allowed six hits and two walks with six strikeouts to improve to 3-0 on the season and lowered his earned run average to 0.37 in four starts. The Mallards recorded seven hits and spreaded them out evenly as seven batters finished with one hit. First baseman Nate Palace (Valparaiso) hit 1-for-3 with a run scored and had a game-high two runs batted in for Madison.
Waterloo 5, Eau Claire 1
The Waterloo Bucks defeated the Eau Claire Express 5-1 on Sunday at home. Eau Claire scored the first run of the game in the top of the first, but the Bucks scored five unanswered runs for the victory. Waterloo scored three in the bottom of the third and added two more in the fourth. Shortstop Brody Weiss (Riverside City College) hit 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored with a home run. Waterloo pitcher Patrick Boyle (Missouri Baptist) picked up the win in five innings of work. He allowed one run on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts for the Bucks.
Lakeshore 3, Green Bay 2
The Lakeshore Chinooks outlasted the Green Bay Bullfrogs 3-2 in 13 innings at home on Sunday. Green Bay scored a run in the first and third before Lakeshore added two with a run in the fifth and sixth to tie the game. The game remained 2-2 for the next six innings until the bottom of the 13th. Chinooks' first baseman Owen Miller (Illinois State) led off the 13th with a triple, and he scored one batter later when rightfielder Darius Sewell (Georgia State) singled for the walk-off win. Jack Landwehr (Illinois State) picked up the win for Lakeshore with 3 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed a hit and a run scored with one strikeout.
Mankato 7, Duluth 3
The Mankato MoonDogs held a 7-1 lead after five innings and held on to defeat the Duluth Huskies 7-3 on Sunday night at home. Duluth actually outhit Mankato 13-11 in the game but left 13 runners on base in the game. MoonDogs' Jake Shepski (Notre Dame) connected on his seventh home run of the season, and Alvaro Rubalcaba (Cal St. Northfield) reached base three times with two hits and a walk and knocked in three runs. Jeremy Quinlan (Youngstown State) threw six innings and allowed one unearned run on seven hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
St. Cloud 5, La Crosse 3
The St. Cloud Rox defeated the La Crosse Loggers 5-3 at home on Sunday night. St. Cloud designated hitter Michael Strem (Boston College) had a big day at the plate, as he finished with three hits in four at bats and scored a run. Rox pitcher Chris Martin (Kent State University) threw three scoreless innings in relief and allowed just one hit and struck out three to pick up the victory. La Crosse outhit St. Cloud 10-8, and Mason McCoy (Iowa) finished with three hits and knocked in a pair of runs in a losing effort.
Monday's Schedule
Rockford @ Battle Creek (7:05 PM)
Lakeshore @ Green Bay (7:05 PM)
Madison @ Kalamazoo (7:05 PM)
Wisconsin Rapids @ Kenosha (7:05 PM)
Eau Claire @ Waterloo (7:05 PM)
Willmar @ Rochester (7:05 PM)
La Crosse @ St. Cloud (7:05 PM)
Wisconsin @ Thunder Bay (7:05 PM)
Duluth @ Mankato (7:05 PM)
