The Northwoods League had its first doubleheaders this season and all 13 games were played. The Waterloo Bucks swept the Bismarck Larks today as the Rox split with Mankato to give Waterloo a one game lead in the North. The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters made it 11 in a row to give them a 3.5 game lead over Kenosha and Battle Creek in the South.
Madison 6, Rockford 7
The Rockford Rivets hang around long enough and defeat the Madison Mallards from a walk-off in the ninth to win 7-6. Nick Schrader (Western Illinois) got things going for Madison when he hit an RBI single in the second. John Rave (Illinois State) answered for the Rivets in the third with an RBI single of his own. The Rockford took the lead in the fourth from a fielder’s choice and a single. Madison retook the lead when they went off for five in the fifth. Thomas Smart (Oakton) drove in two with a single to get things going and Schrader drove in two more with a single of his own. The Rivets came within one from an RBI single in the sixth. Zach Rheams (Texas Tech) then knocked in two from a double to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. Ryan Hutchinson (Illinois State) then pinch ran for Rheams and ended up scoring the game winner when Hunter Feduccia (Louisiana State-Eunice) hit an RBI single. Dylan Stutsman (Indianapolis) came in for the final two, gave up nothing and struck out three.
Bismarck 1, Waterloo 2 (Game 1)
The Waterloo Bucks got a complete game from their starter Kyle Leahy (Colorado-Mesa) and defeated the Bismarck Larks 2-1 in game one. The Bucks struck first in the bottom half of the opening inning when Horry Howell (Kirkwood CC) reached on a hit by pitch, stole second and third and score from a sac fly. Scooter Bynum (Northern Illinois) tied the game for the Larks in the fifth when he scored on a single by Wyatt Ulrich (St. John’s (MN) ). The Bucks would then respond and take the lead for good when Keaton Presley (Central Arkansas) scored on a fielder’s choice. Leahy only gave up the one run on seven hits, walking one and striking out three for his first win of the season.
Duluth 12, Thunder Bay 4 (Game 1)
The Duluth Huskies erupted for nine runs in the ninth after being down one late to defeat the Thunder Bay Border Cats 12-4. The Huskies got on the board first right away when Matt Frazier (Fresno) scored after reaching on a single, advancing from a wild pitch and scoring from an error by the second basemen. Another unearned run came across after the Border Cats committed two errors in the inning. Thunder Bay answered with a run of their own in the bottom half to cut their deficit in half. The Huskies tacked on an insurance run in the fourth from a Sam Baier (Augustana) single, but the Border Cats kept it a one-run game from an Alex Sanchez (Miami) home run. Thunder Bay eventually tied the game in the fifth and took the lead in the eighth with single runs. Asher Cook (Navarro) came in to save it for the Border Cats, but the Huskies weren’t going away. Baier led off the inning with a walk and later scored from an RBI single. A wild pitch, an error and a single scored three more. Luke Roskam (Nebraska) ended the scoring in the nine-run ninth with a grand slam. Andrew ODwyer (Columbia State CC) came in for the ninth and secured the win for the Huskies.
Eau Claire 1, Willmar 2 (Game 1)
The Willmar Stingers held off a late rally from the Eau Claire Express for a 2-1 victory. The Stingers jumped on top right away when Marcus Still (New Mexico State) scored on a fielder’s choice. The game then went scoreless for four innings, but Willmar added another from Still. Still reached on a single to start the inning, advanced with his 14th stolen base of the season and scored from an error by the second basemen. Starter Polo Portela (Sacramento) and Braxton Johns (East Georgia) combined for 8.2 scoreless on only four hits and three walks. The Express finally got to the ninth inning man, Alex Reyes (New Mexico State) for a run when Zach Ashford (Fresno State) scored on an RBI single by Nic Ready (Air Force). Reyes bounced back, got the next hitter to strike out and secured the win.
St. Cloud 4, Mankato 3 (Game 1)
The St. Cloud Rox went up early and held off a late Mankato MoonDogs rally in the ninth to win 4-3. Drew Avans (Southeastern Louisiana) got things going right away for the Rox as he drew a walk, advanced on a ground out, wild pitch and scored from an error by the third basemen. St. Cloud went up by two in the fourth from an RBI fielder’s choice, but the MoonDogs got on the board for one in the bottom half. The Rox extended their lead again with a run in the sixth from a Michael Busch (North Carolina) RBI double. St. Cloud and Mankato traded runs in the seventh to bring the MoonDogs within two. John Matthew (Kent State) came into the ninth already had pitched two scoreless, but surrendered a two-out RBI double. Matthew got the next batter to strike out to earn his second save of the season.
Bismarck 4, Waterloo 8 (Game 2)
The Waterloo Bucks put up six in the second and hold onto defeat the Bismarck Larks 8-4 in game 2 tonight. The Larks were on the board first in the top of second when Scooter Bynum (Northern Illinois) scored on a bases loaded walk. The Bucks would answer in a big way with six in the bottom half. Joe Genord (South Florida) led off the inning with a solo home run to get things going. Korry Howell (Kirkwood CC) knocked in an RBI double and later scored from a three-run double. An RBI single would end up bringing in run number six. The Larks wouldn’t go away as they cut their deficit in half with two in the third. The Bucks added two more in the fourth from a double and a fielder’s choice. Bismarck got one in the sixth, but that wouldn’t be enough as the final three pitchers for the Bucks threw 3.1 scoreless on only four hits.
Wisconsin 3, Fond du Lac 9
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders bounced back as they scored five in the first two to defeat the Wisconsin Woodchucks 9-3. Brylie Ware (Oklahoma) got things going for the Chucks in the opening inning as he connected on an RBI single. The Spiders would answer to take the lead in the bottom half with three. Colin Braithwaite (Illinois State) hit an RBI single and later scored from another RBI single. The Spiders continued in the second with a two-run triple by Orynn Veillon (New Orleans). The Dock Spiders went up six in the fifth from Braithwaite’s second RBI and second run scored of the game. The Woodchucks wouldn’t go away as they got two in the sixth, but the Spiders answered for two in the bottom half. That would end up being the final score as the Spiders bullpen threw 3.1 scoreless to end the game.
Duluth 8, Thunder Bay 4 (Game 2)
The Duluth Huskies scored early and often in game two today against the Thunder Bay Border Cats to win 8-4. Thunder Bay scored first in the bottom of the opening inning when Jared McCunn (SIU-Edwardsville) drove in a run from a single. The Huskies responded to take the lead with two in the second when Sam Baier (Augustana) scored on a wild pitch and Gabe Knowles (Minnesota) hit an RBI single. Baier scored another in the fourth to help Duluth go up two. Baier delivered again in the fifth, but this time hit drove in a run. The Border Cats were quick to respond this time with three in the bottom half to tie the game. The Huskies retook the lead with two in the sixth from an RBI single and a fielder’s choice. Duluth would score two more, once in the seventh and one in the ninth as the bullpen threw 4.2 scoreless to secure the win.
Lakeshore 13, Kalamazoo 6
The Lakeshore Chinooks scored eight early and held on the entire way as they defeated the Kalamazoo Growlers 13-6. Jacob Richardson (Southern Arkansas) got things going for the Chinooks in the top of the first when he knocked in an RBI single. Richardson later scored with two other unearned runs in one at bat. The Growlers added one to make it 4-1 at the end of one complete, but Lakeshore scored once in the top of the second. The Growlers cut their deficit to one after two innings which included runs from a fielder’s choice, RBI single and double. Lakeshore just kept coming as Richardson scored from an RBI double while a sac fly and a hit by pitch brought two more. TJ Raguse (Baylor) hit a solo shot for run number nine in the fourth, but Kalamazoo got tow in the bottom half from two errors. Drake Lubin (Eastern Michigan) added in the home run mix for the Chinooks with a solo shot in the fifth while Daniel DeSimone (Oklahoma State) hit a two-run shot in the sixth. Richardson scored his third in the ninth and the bullpen ended the game pitching five scoreless for Lakeshore.
Battle Creek 2, Kenosha 4
The Kenosha Kingfish defeated the Battle Creek Bombers 4-2 tonight to put the two teams in a tie for second place in the South at 10-5. The Kingfish jumped on board first in the bottom half of the first when Derek Bangert (Bradley) hit an RBI double. The Bombers took the lead when Logan Kaletha (Indiana) hit a two-run single in the fourth. The Kingfish tied the game in the sixth from a wild pitch and ultimately took the lead for good in the next inning. Nick Zouras (Illinois State) knocked in a run from a double and later scored from a single. Reliever Justin Hasek (Galveston CC) pitched two scoreless for the win and Alex Manasa (Jackson CC) earned his fourth save of the season.
St. Cloud 3, Mankato 4 (Game 2)
The Mankato MoonDogs bounced back after a 3-4 defeat in game one and defeat the St. Cloud Rox with the same score in game two tonight. The Rox go the first run of the game in the second when Brendan Illies (North Carolina) drove in an RBI single. The Rox got one more in the top of the fifth when Eric Feliz (Notre Dame) scored on a sac fly. St. Cloud starter Kenny Saenz (BYU) had his 15-scoreless inning streak snapped in the fifth when Ethan Valdez (Nicholls State) knocked in a run from a single and later scored for the MoonDogs. The MoonDogs took the lead in the seventh when Valdez drove in his second of the game from a single. Matt Tarantino (Pacific) kept the Rox in the game as he tied the game in the eighth with a solo shot. The eventual game-winner came for Mankato in the bottom half when Wells Davis (South Alabama) scored on a wild pitch.
Wisconsin Rapids 7, Green Bay 1
The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters make it eleven in a row as they defeat the Green Bay Bullfrogs tonight 7-1. Rapids started the game with a bang with four runs in the opening inning. Bryson Stott (UNLV) scored the first run after the second out was recorded on a fielder’s choice. Josh Rehwaldt (Sioux Falls) knocked in two from a single and he later on a bases loaded walk. Rapids scored number five in the second, but the Frogs would get their one and only run in the bottom half from an RBI single by Ben Hart (Oakland). Stott then delivered an RBI single in the sixth and Rehwaldt knocked in his third in the next inning. Quinn DiPasquale (Stevens Institute Technology) got the start for Rapids, threw six, only allowed the one run on two hits while striking out eight for his second win of the season.
Eau Claire 6, Willmar 4 (Game 2)
The Eau Claire Express hold off early runs from the Willmar Stingers to win game two today 6-4. The Stingers got two early in the bottom half of the opening inning from back-to-back RBI doubles from Danny Rodriguez (Bethune Cookman) and Nolan Bumstead (CSU-Northridge). The Express got a run back in the second from a solo shot by Luke Bandy (Dallas Baptist). The Stingers continued to hold the lead as they got another in the bottom half. Eau Claire then took the lead in the fourth when Peter McEvoy (Riverside City) knocked in run two and three from a single to right. Willmar wouldn’t go away as they scored once in the seventh, but the Express got two more in the eighth including a solo shot from Justin Evans (Columbus State) which would go onto be the final score. Victor Chavez (Scottsdale CC) threw three strikeouts in the ninth to pick up his second save of the season.
Schedule for June 14:
Rochester @ La Crosse (12:05 PM)
Fond du Lac @ Wisconsin (6:35 PM)
Madison @ Rockford (6:35 PM)
La Cross @ Rochester (7:05 PM)
Green Bay @ Wisconsin Rapids (7:05 PM)
Battle Creek @ Kenosha (7:05 PM)
Lakeshore @ Kalamazoo (7:05 PM)