High-quality Northwoods League pitching was on full display on Friday night across the league. Several starters went late into games allowing no runs on few hits, and one pitcher came just one out away from throwing a complete game. Some days the hitters have the big night, but tonight it was the pitchers who dominated.
Rockford 3, Madison 1
The Rockford Rivets scored three runs in the third inning, which was enough to take down the Madison Mallards 3-1 at home on Friday night. Rockford starting pitcher Drake Robison (Iowa) pitched an incredible game and picked up the win. He went threw eight scoreless innings and gave up one run and one walk with four strikeouts. Rockford's Kian OBrien (Madison Tech) hit a two-run single in the bottom of the third to give the Rivets a 2-0 lead, and Cory Wright (Parkland CC) singled one batter later to extend the lead to three. Madison scored a run in the top of the ninth and left the bases loaded in the two-run loss.
Wisconsin 2, Green Bay 0
The Wisconsin Woodchucks shut out the Green Bay Bullfrogs by a score of 2-0 on Friday night. Wisconsin scored one run in the top of the first inning when Steve Passatempo (UMass Lowell) doubled to score a run and added another in the third on an RBI-double hit by Cade Harris (University of Oklahoma). Wisconsin's Tanner Thomas (University of Utah) threw eight scoreless innings for the Woodchucks and gave up three hits and a walk with five strikeouts to pick up his first win of the season.
St. Cloud 12, Mankato 4
The St. Cloud Rox scored seven runs in the bottom of the second inning and defeated the Mankato MoonDogs 12-4 at home. St. Cloud sent 11 batters to the plate in the second and recorded seven hits for the seven-run explosion. Rox first baseman Michael Strem (Boston College) hit 2-for-4 with a walk and recorded five runs batted in. St. Cloud's starting pitcher Shelby Lackey (University of the Pacific) threw five innings and gave up four runs on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts in the victory. Collin Strall (Louisiana State University) pitched the final four innings and did not give up a run and allowed just two hits and two walks with three strikeouts for the save.
Wisconsin Rapids 4, Battle Creek 3
The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters tied and took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat the Battle Creek Bombers 4-3 on Friday night at home. The game was tied at two going into the seventh, and Battle Creek led off the top of the seventh with a home run by Dean Miller (Riverside City College). The Rafters answered in the bottom half of the inning with two runs on a two-out, bases-loaded single from Dustin Woodcock (SIU-Edwardsville) to give Wisconsin Rapids a 4-3 lead. Woodcock finished the game 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBI.
Kenosha 4, Lakeshore 3
The Kenosha Kingfish came back in the ninth inning and walked off in a 4-3 victory over the Lakeshore Chinooks on Friday night. Lakeshore opened up the scoring with a two-run second inning, and Kenosha responded in the seventh with a pair of runs to tie the game. The Chinooks took the lead right back in the eighth and led 3-2 going into the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Rob Henry (Brown University) singled and scored on a triple from Blake Reese (Florida) to tie the game. Reese scored one batter later on a single hit from JD Hearn (UC-San Diego). Cole Erickson (Wisconsin-Stevens Point) threw seven innings and gave up two runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts in a no decision.
Waterloo 9, Duluth 3
The Waterloo Bucks rallied for eight runs in the fourth inning and took down the Duluth Huskies 9-3 at home on Friday night. Waterloo sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth and scored eight runs capped off by a three-run homer from Robert Neustrom (Iowa). Neustrom finished 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. Waterloo starter Brett Solano (Menlo College) threw six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits and zero walks with four strikeouts to pick up the victory for the Bucks.
Willmar 9, Thunder Bay 1
The Willmar Stingers blew out the Thunder Bay Border Cats 9-1 at home on Friday night. Willmar outhit Thunder Bay 12-4 in the contest, and four batters recorded multiple hits. Designated hitter Danny Mayer (Pacific) hit 3-for-4 with a walk, three RBI and a run scored, and leftfielder Devin Foyle (Kansas) hit 2-for-4 on the night with three RBI and a run scored. On the mound, Willmar's Ty Tice (Central Arkansas) came one out away from a complete game. He threw 8 2/3 innings and gave up just one run on four hits and no walks with nine strikeouts in the win.
Kalamazoo 11, Rochester 8
The Kalamazoo Growlers increased their lead to 11-0 and survived an intense ninth-inning rally by the Rochester Honkers to win 11-8 on the road. Kalamazoo scored eight runs in the top of the second, added one in the fourth and two more in the eighth to extend its lead to 11. In the bottom of the ninth, Rochester rallied for eight runs but lost with the tying run at the plate to end the comeback attempt. Kalamazoo's Devin Pellien (Nova Southeastern) threw five scoreless innings and did not give up a hit with four walks and two strikeouts to pick up the victory. Growlers' leftfielder Brandon Gomez (Nova Southeastern) hit a pair of home runs and finished 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Tre Gantt (Ohio State) also hit a pair of homers with six RBI and two runs scored.
La Crosse 10, Eau Claire 4
The La Crosse Loggers scored six runs in the 11th inning to defeat the Eau Claire Express 10-4 on the road. La Crosse scored twice in the first and added a run in the second and third innings. Eau Claire tied the game at four with a four-run bottom of the third inning. The score remained 4-4 for the next seven innings until the top of the 11th, capped off by a grand slam hit by Griffin Conine (Duke), who finished the game 3-for-5 at the plate with a walk, five RBI and a run scored for the Loggers.
Saturday's Schedule
Rochester @ St. Cloud (6:05 PM)
Eau Claire @ Mankato (6:05 PM)
Rockford @ Kalamazoo (6:05 PM)
Madison @ Kenosha (6:05 PM)
Wisconsin Rapids @ Wisconsin (6:35 PM)
Battle Creek @ Green Bay (6:35 PM)
Thunder Bay @ Duluth (6:35 PM)
La Crosse @ Lakeshore (6:35 PM)
Willmar @ Waterloo (7:05 PM)
