The St. Cloud Rox won their seventh consecutive to hold onto their one game lead in the North as they won the first half crown. The Rox and Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are guaranteed playoff spots after clinching the first half titles.
St. Cloud 8, Duluth 1
The St. Cloud Rox held the Duluth Huskies to one inning of scoring as they won 8-1. The Huskies scored their first and only run in the opening inning when Rob Emery (San Francisco) singled in a run. The Rox then tied the game in the fourth from Shane Selman (McNeese State) scoring on an error and took the lead from Keaton Kringlen (BYU) coming home in the same inning. St. Cloud got one in the fifth, and a pair in the sixth from another error and an RBI single by Cameron Eden (California). The Rox took a four-run lead into the seventh and scored two more times from a sac fly and an RBI double. Brad Mathiowetz (FAU) hit a solo home shot for run number eight in the eighth which would end up being the final score.
Willmar 5, Bismarck 4 (11 Innings)
The Willmar Stingers needed 11 innings to defeat the Bismarck Larks 5-4 after scoring once in the top half of the eleventh. The Stingers scored right away in the opening inning when Marcus Still (New Mexico State) hit a single, stole second, advanced from a sac fly and scored from an RBI ground out. The Larks took the lead in the second when Luke Horanski (Virginia Tech) hit a two-run double. Willmar tied it right away in the top of the third from a solo home run by Still. The Stingers took the lead in the fourth from a bases loaded walk, but Bismarck scored a pair in the sixth from back-to-back RBI singles to regain the lead. The Larks were clinging to a one-run lead going into the ninth when Josh Bissonette (Baylor) singled to tie the game and force extras. After one scoreless inning, Luke Becker (Kentucky) knocked in a run with a single which would go onto be the game-winner.
Rockford 1, Wisconsin Rapids 14
The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters only allowed one run in the final inning as they defeated the Rockford Rivets 14-1. Rapids scored first with three runs in the third which started with Christian Jones (Campbell) leading off the inning with a homerun. Jones then led off the next inning with another solo home run. Ryan Stekl (Canisius) hit a two-run shot in the fifth and three batters later, Jones hit a three-run home run for his third dinger of the game. A two-run double and single brought in four more in the sixth which was followed by one more in the seventh from an error. Jesse Slinger (Youngstown State) had a shutout going until John Rave (Illinois State) singled in a run in the ninth with two outs. He got the next batter to fly out to end the game and improve to 5-0 on the season.
Kenosha 6, Madison 4
The Kenosha Kingfish scored three in the final two innings to defeat the Madison Mallards 6-4. Connor Doyle (San Diego) led off the game with a solo home run which started a two-run first for the Kingfish. Sam Armstrong gave Madison the lead from a three-run shot in the third. Madison scored one more time in the fourth, but Kenosha began their comeback with one in the sixth. The Kingfish tied the game in the eighth from a sac fly by Jesse Wilkening (Nebraska). A two-run single by Coll Stanley (Texas A&M) finally put Kenosha over the edge while Billy McKay (Florida) threw a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.
Rochester 5, Mankato 6
The Mankato MoonDogs took the lead in the eighth as they defeated the Rochester Honkers 6-5. Rochester scored first with three runs in the first when Kenyon Yovan (Oregon) hit a home run. The MoonDogs came back to come within one when Christopher Schaeffer (Western Illinois) and Alvaro Rubalcaba (CSUN) both scored on errors. Mankato tied the game with a run in the third, but two RBI singles in the fourth put Rochester ahead again. Mankato tied it again with a pair in the fifth and finally took the lead in the eighth from Ethan Valdez (Nicholls State) drove in Daniel Amaral (UCLA) from a sac fly. Mankato used two relievers to throw the final three scoreless including Naithen Dewsnap (Cal State Bakersfield) picking up his fifth save.
Thunder Bay 5, Eau Claire 4 (10 Innings)
The Thunder Bay Border Cats needed 10 innings to defeat the Eau Claire Express 5-4 tonight. The Border Cats scored first in the third when Noah Strohl (Grossmont) singled in a run to put them on the board. The Express then responded to take the lead in the sixth with a pair of runs from Kyle Marinconz (Cal Poly) from an error and Luke Bandy (Dallas Baptist) on an RBI ground out. Eau Claire got their final two in the seventh from an RBI single, as Thunder Bay tied it up in the eighth. Billy Cook (Pepperdine) singled in a run and Mark Venice (St. Johns) doubled in two to force extras. With one out in the tenth, Brendan Dougherty (Bradley) hit an RBI single to give Thunder Bay the eventual game-winner.
Green Bay 5, Fond du Lac 8
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders held off a late rally from the Green Bay Bullfrogs to win 8-5 tonight. The Frogs and Spiders traded runs in the opening inning as Kyle Benyo (Youngstown State) double in a run for Green Bay and Luke Mangieri (Bradley) singled in one for Fondy. The Dock Spiders then took the lead in the third from an RBI single. Fondy broke the game open with five runs in the fifth innings which started from a bases loaded walk that scored Joe Breaux (McClennan CC). A two-run double and two-run single drove in four more for the Spiders. Fondy added one more in the sixth until Green Bay started their come back. Benyo hit an RBI single in the seventh and two run scoring singles added three in the eighth for the Frogs. Dominic Yearego (West Texas A&M) came in and pitched a scoreless ninth for the Dock Spiders to pick up his third save.
La Crosse 3, Waterloo 5
The Waterloo Bucks pulled ahead in the seventh to defeat the La Crosse Loggers 5-3. The Loggers and Bucks both traded runs in the opening inning Kennie Taylor (Duke) scored on an RBI fielder’s choice for La Crosse and Tyler Stover (Louisiana-Lafayette) doubled in a run for Waterloo. Both teams traded a pair in the third then La Crosse got an RBI triple and double while Waterloo the Bucks connected on a two-run double. Waterloo finally took the lead in the seventh and never looked back as they got one from a sac fly by John Cable (New Orleans) and an RBI single from Drew Greenwood (Bellarmine). Kyle Leahy (Colorado-Mesa) picked up his fourth win for Waterloo and Ryan Dunne (Western Illinois) got his first save after a scoreless ninth.
Wisconsin 6, Battle Creek 3
The Wisconsin Woodchucks held onto the lead throughout the whole game to defeat the Battle Creek Bombers 6-3. The Chucks scored a pair in the opening inning when Trey Dawson (Chipola) scored from a wild pitch and Hunter Coleman (Texas A&M) doubled in a run. Wisconsin tacked on one in the third, but the Bombers got two back in the bottom half. Nick Walker (Austin Peay) hit an RBI single which followed a bases loaded walk. An RBI single and two-run single in the fifth gave the Chucks three more, but Battle Creek scored once in the bottom half from and RBI single by Justin Felix (Arkansas State). The Chucks then threw Erik Gutierrez (Los Angeles Harbor) for the final four as he shutout the Bombers to earn his first save.
Lakeshore 1, Kalamazoo 7
The Kalamazoo Growlers scored four early and never looked back as they defeated the Lakeshore Chinooks 7-1. Connor Hollis (Houston) started a four-run inning for Kalamazoo in the first from an RBI double. Hollis then scored followed by an RBI single and an RBI fielder’s choice to put Kalamazoo up four. The Growlers then got three more in the fourth from a home run by Charlie Carpenter (USC Upstate). Lakeshore got their only run in the eighth when Drake Lubin (Eastern Michigan) scored on an RBI ground out. Daniel Ritcheson (High School Senior) pitched seven scoreless to pick up his first win of the season and Walter Talcott (Earlham) threw a scoreless ninth to end the game.
Schedule for July 5:
Thunder Bay @ Mankato (1:05 PM)
La Crosse @ Eau Claire (6:35 PM)
Bismarck @ Duluth (6:35 PM)
Rockford @ Lakeshore (6:35 PM)
Wisconsin @ Fond du Lac (6:35 PM)
St. Cloud @ Rochester (7:05 PM)
Green Bay @ Wisconsin Rapids (7:05 PM)
Kenosha @ Battle Creek (7:05 PM)
Madison @ Kalamazoo (7:05 PM)
Waterloo @ Willmar (7:05 PM)
