The defending champion Wisconsin Rapids Rafters hangs 17 runs on the Lakeshore Chinooks to move into a tie with the Battle Creek Bombers as they both won to improve to 5-1. The Duluth Huskies won in walk-off to the Willmar Stingers to force a four team tie at the top of the North.

Wisconsin 13, Fond du Lac 10

The Wisconsin Woodchucks and  the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders traded seven run innings, but the Woodchucks scored in the ninth to break a tie and win the game 13-10. The Chucks and Spiders both scored single runs in the third inning. The Dock Spiders erupted for seven in the bottom of the fourth which started with an RBI single by Collin Ridout (Tennessee Wesleyan). He then came around to score on a fielder’s choice. An RBI single, a wild pitch and an error advanced two more runs in. Eric Gilgenbach (Notre Dame) then hit his third home run of the season with a three-run shot. The Chucks answered in the top of the fifth for seven runs of their own. It started when Stevie Mangrum (Virginia Tech) knocked in a run with an RBI fielder’s choice. A single knocked in two more runs and the Woodchucks got another from a bases loaded walk. An error scored the fifth run and a double knocked in two more. The Spiders wouldn’t go away as they scored two more in the bottom half. The Chucks scored two insurance runs in the eighth. Mangrum tacked on more to his RBI total with his fourth home run of the season which was a three-run shot. Orsen Josephona (Hillsborough CC) picked up his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth for the Woodchucks.

Kalamazoo 9, Kenosha 8

The Kalamazoo Growlers scored three in the ninth and held off the Kenosha Kingfish just enough in the final inning to win 9-8. The game was scoreless until the Growlers struck first in the third for two runs. They tacked on more in the next inning when Nick Hutchins (Southern Illinois) hit a grand slam to bring his season RBI total to 11. The Kingfish finally got on the board when Mike Madej (Purdue) hit an RBI double. Three more came across for Kenosha in the seventh including a two-run home run by Derek Bangert (Bradley). Kenosha then tied the game in the eighth when Madej came around to score on an RBI double by Tyler Paulsen (Illinois State) who later scored on a fielder’s choice. The Growlers took the lead again in the top of the ninth from two RBI singles and an RBI double. George Lamb (Texas Rio Grande) came in the for the save, gave up two runs on three hits, but still managed to pick up the save.

Madison 1, Green Bay 4

The Green Bay Bullfrogs bounced back and held the Madison Mallards to one run in a 4-1 victory. The Mallards only run of the game came in the top of the third when Cade Bunnell (Madison College) hit an RBI double. Aaron Pleschner (San Jose State) stole home when a runner was thrown out at second for the Frogs’ first run of the game. Green Bay added three insurance runs in the sixth when Troy Johnston (Gonzaga) cleared the bases from a double. After giving up his only run of the game in the third, Connor Wollersheim (Kent State) ended the day with six innings pitched, one earned on three hits while striking out six. The bullpen threw three, only allowing one hit while striking out six.

Rochester 1, Thunder Bay 5

The Thunder Bay Border Cats struck first and never trailed as they defeated the Rochester Honkers 5-1. JQ Folena (Mayville State) knocked in the first of the game for the Border Cats in the first from an RBI single. Zach Zubia (Texas) tied the game for the Honkers in the third with his third home run of the season. Thunder Bay retook the lead in the fourth from a two RBI single by Brendan Dougherty (Bradley). The Border Cats tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh from a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly. Noah Denoyer (San Joaquin Delta) left the game in the first which resulted in Jacob Karl (Augsburg) to pick up the win after throwing 5.2 and only giving up one run on two hits.

Willmar 3, Duluth 4

The Duluth Huskies walked-off in the eleventh to stay even with the Willmar Stingers in the North Division as they won 4-3. Rudy Karre (Kansas) got things going for the Huskies in the first with an RBI single and later came around to score on a fielder’s choice. Duluth added one more in the fourth from an RBI fielder’s choice. The Stingers wouldn’t go away as they scored their first run of the game in the seventh from an error by the pitcher. Willmar then tied the game in the eighth when Caleb Ledbetter (Montevallo) knocked in an RBI single and Brady Shockey (USC) scored on a fielder’s choice. After two scoreless innings, Carter Hanford (St. Louis) reached on a double for Duluth and then scored the winning run from an error by the catcher.

Bismarck 2, St. Cloud 3

The St. Cloud Rox needed ten innings to defeat the Bismarck Larks 3-2. The Bismarck Larks opened the game with the first run as David Salguiero (LSU Shreveport) scored on a wild pitch. Cameron Eden (California) knocked in his first RBI of the season in the third to tie the game. The Larks answered in the fourth with a run from a wild pitch to re take the lead. A wild pitch from the Larks’ pitching staff issued the tying run for the Rox to force extras. Ricardo Sanchez then scored the winning run an inning later from an error by the second basemen.

Battle Creek 4, Rockford 3

The Battle Creek Bombers used a three-run third and an insurance run in the seventh to put them over the edge for a 4-3 victory over the Rockford Rivets. The Bombers opened the scoring in the third with three runs, but the Rivets responded for one in the bottom half and again in the fourth. The Rivets tied the game in the sixth after the Bombers had pulled their starter. The Bombers scored the eventual game winning run in the seventh to improve their record to 5-1, dropping Rockford to 2-4. Jake Hawken (Portland) gave up the run for the Bombers, but picked up the win in two innings of work while striking out four.

Mankato 2, Eau Claire 1

The Mankato MoonDogs broke the tie with a run in the ninth to defeat the Eau Claire Express 2-1. After three scoreless innings, the MoonDogs struck first in the top of fourth when Brett Newberg (Austin Peay) drove in Nick Vaage (Memphis) from an RBI single. The Express tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Jake Moebius (Western Carolina) drove in an unearned run. Dylan Dresel (Minnesota State) broke the tie and scored the eventual game winning run from an RBI double in the ninth. Andrew Fisher (Illinois) threw eight innings, allowed one unearned run on three hits while striking out eleven batters. He didn’t factor in the decision since the game was tied, but his college teammate Joseph Gerber (Illinois) came in with the lead and picked up the win.

Waterloo 11, La Crosse 2

The Waterloo Bucks improved their record to 4-2, as the Loggers dropped to 1-5 in an 11-2 win. The Loggers were on the board first when Yahir Gurrola (North Florida) hit a solo shot in the third. The Bucks answered right back in the fourth when Korry Howell (Kirkwood CC) scored on a double play to tie the game. A double from Taylor Sanagroski gave the Loggers the lead right back, but that would be it for their scoring. The Bucks broke the game open in the fifth by scoring four consecutive RBI singles. Tyler Bordner (Kirkwood CC) then added three more for the Bucks with his first home run of the season. A pass ball and a double added two more for Waterloo in the sixth and a single scored the eleventh in the eighth. Brady Corson (Cal State-San Marcos) came in for relief and pitched 2.1 innings of hitless baseball to earn the win.

Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 17, Lakeshore 5

The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters erupted for nine in the eighth which led to their lopsided 17-5 victory over the Lakeshore Chinooks. Both teams scored a run in the first which included Zach Biermann’s (Polk State) fourth home run of the season to keep him up to pace with the tie for the league lead. The Rafters took the lead in the second when Scott Kapers (Valparaiso) hit an RBI double. The Chinooks then responded for three in the third to retake the lead. The Rafters tied the game with a pair of runs in the fourth. Jake Guenther (Sacramento CC) then helped Rapids get the lead back again in the sixth from a run on a wild pitch. Three more runs would come from a sac fly, an RBI single and double. The Chinooks wouldn’t go away when Kody Matthews scored an unearned run from a fielder’s choice. Shaq Robinson (Sacramento CC) got the big eighth going for the Rafters when he reached on a single and later scored from a two-run single. An error by the Chinooks brought another Rafters run across followed by a two-run single and double. Robinson delivered again in the inning by connecting on a run-scoring single. The Rapids bullpen came in for five innings of work, only allowing one run on three hits and striking out nine Chinooks.

 

Schedule for June 5:

Kenosha @ Lakeshore (11:35 AM)

Rochester @ Duluth (6:35 PM)

Rockford @ Fond du Lac (6:35 PM)

Eau Claire @ Waterloo (6:35 PM)

Willmar @ Mankato (7:05 PM)

Madison @ Kalamazoo (7:05 PM)

La Crosse @ Bismarck (7:05 PM)

Wisconsin @ Wisconsin Rapids (7:05 PM)

Green Bay @ Battle Creek (7:05 PM)

St. Cloud @ Thunder Bay (7:05 PM)