The Mankato MoonDogs made it six in a row with a one-run victory over Waterloo and St. Cloud won to force a three-team tie in the overall North standings. Rapids outlasted Rockford as they now sit a half-game ahead of four teams in the second half South standings and they are 6.5 games on Kenosha. The Kingfish fell to Madison which now puts the Mallards in fourth place of the overall standings by a full game.
Duluth 11, Rochester 3
The Duluth Huskies scored early and late as they defeated the Rochester Honkers 11-3. The Huskies scored three times in the opening inning from two long balls by Kyle Hubbuch (North Alabama) and Luke Roskam (Nebraska). Duluth got three more in the fourth from a two-run double and an RBI single. The Honkers got one back in the bottom half from a solo shot by Mike Echavia (Nevada). Hubbuch then led off the fifth with a home run and Duluth got four more in the eighth. The Huskies got one from an error, another on a sac fly and two from a double and single. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Zach Zubia (Texas) reached on an error by the third basemen which drove in two for Rochester. Duluth then bounced and got the next guy to strike out to end the inning.
Bismarck 2, Thunder Bay 1
The Bismarck Larks took the lead in the seventh and never looked back as they defeated the Thunder Bay Border Cats 2-1. The Border Cats scored right away in the opening inning when Kevin Biondic (Maryland) hit an RBI single. Jeff Lindgren (Illinois State) then pitched the next five scoreless to make way for the Bismarck bullpen. The Larks tied the game in the fifth when an unearned run scored on a single by Cooper Coldiron (Houston). Coldiron then scored the go-ahead in the seventh from an RBI single by Connor Perry (Pittsburgh). Jamie Kaye (Augsburg) threw the next 2.2 while Nick Boyles (UNC-Asheville) closed out the game for his fifth save.
Wisconsin 3, Battle Creek 21
The Battle Creek Bombers pounded the Wisconsin Woodchucks for 21 runs on 15 hits in their 21-3 victory. The Chucks actually scored first in the opening inning when Ivan Nunez (Hillsborough CC) and Hunter Coleman (Texas A&M) both scored unearned runs. The Bombers then put up seven in the bottom half after taking advantage of six walks. The first two scored from bases loaded walks. Alec Trela (Memphis) added two for Battle Creek with a double and two hit by pitches sent in two more. The Bombers put up five more in the third which included a grand slam by Justin Felix (Arkansas State). The Bombers then put up a six spot in the fourth which included four more walks. Alex Howard (Arkansas State) then added to the mix with a solo shot in the fifth and the Chucks got their last run in the sixth when Coleman scored again. The Bombers got a two-run double in the seventh which would go onto be the final score.
Fond du Lac 10, Kalamazoo 7
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders came back from an early deficit and defeated the Kalamazoo Growlers 10-7. Nick Fortes (Ole Miss) put the Spiders on the board with a home run in the opening inning. Kalamazoo then answered in a big way with seven in the bottom half. The Growlers got their first three from bases loaded walks. Ivan Estrella (Texas Rio Grande) then knocked in two with a single and Kaleb Murphy (USC) did the same in the next at bat. Fondy chipped away at their deficit with two from a long ball by Jason Sullivan (Central Michigan). The Dock Spiders got another two-run shot in the fifth from Eric Gilgenbach (Notre Dame). The Spiders got another in the sixth and then a solo home run by Brandon Wulff (Stanford) in the seventh to tie the game. Fondy then took the lead in the top of the ninth from an error and a two-run double. The Growlers then loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but the next three went down to end the game.
Willmar 1, St. Cloud 2
The St. Cloud Rox walked it off in the bottom of the ninth as they defeated the Willmar Stingers 2-1. The Rox scored first in the second when Keaton Kringlen (BYU) doubled in a run. Robbie Palkert (Nebraska) started for St. Cloud and threw five scoreless. The Stingers then got their first run in the sixth when Marcus Still (New Mexico State) scored on a sac fly. Willmar got two scoreless from their bullpen and the final three pitchers for the Rox threw shutout innings. Then with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Drew Avans (SE Louisiana) reached on an error and Spencer Holcomb (Western Carolina) scored the game winner.
Kenosha 2, Madison 9
The Madison Mallards used two four-run innings to defeat the Kenosha Kingfish 9-2. The Mallards scored right away in the bottom of the first as Sam Armstrong (Jacksonville) singled in a run. The Kingfish tied the game in the third from an RBI single by Derek Bangert (Bradley). Madison went ahead four in the fourth from a grand slam by Zac Taylor (Illinois). The Mallards scored another four in the seventh which started with a fielder’s choice and wild pitch scoring a run apiece. An error brought one in and Matt Elsenpeter (NDSU) singled in another run. The Kingfish got a sac fly in the eighth, but the Mallards avoided damage after a one-out single in the ninth to end the game.
Rockford 10, Wisconsin Rapids 14
The Wisconsin Rapids used the third and fourth to pull ahead of the Rockford Rivets and win 14-10. Rapids scored first again in the bottom half of the opening inning with runs by Nick Anderson (Texas A&M-CC) and Dustin Woodcock (SIU-Edwardsville). The Rivets tied the game in the next inning from a two-RBI double by Brett Whelton (McNeese State). Rockford took the lead in the third from a two-run double by Ryan Hutchinson (Illinois State) who scored in the next at bat. Rapids answered with five in the bottom half which included a grand slam by Jake Guenther (Sacramento City CC). Rapids then scored four in the fourth which started with an RBI single that scored two from an error The Rivets got three back in the fifth including two by the long ball from JC DeMuri (Quincy). Rapids answered back with three of their own in the fifth including a two-run shot by Anderson. Rockford got one in the sixth, but that would be it as Rapids threw five pitchers to get the final four scoreless.
Lakeshore 5, Green Bay 6
The Green Bay Bullfrogs took the lead in the eighth and held off a late rally by the Lakeshore Chinooks as they won 6-5. The Frogs scored first in the bottom half of the opening inning when Alex Pener (Scottsdale CC) hit an RBI single. Both teams traded runs in the fourth as the Chinooks got on the board when Jack Dunn (Northwestern) scored on a sac fly. They traded runs again in the sixth which included a leadoff home run by Zack Plunkett (Arkansas). Lakeshore took the lead with a pair in the seventh from two bases loaded walks. Green Bay then tied it in the bottom half from an RBI triple by Tanner Poole (Mississippi State). The Frogs took the lead with a pair of their own in the eighth which started from an RBI single by Troy Johnston (Gonzaga). Lakeshore came within one in the top of the ninth from a two-out RBI single by Nick Gatewood (Georgia State), but the next batter grounded out to end the game.
Eau Claire 5, La Crosse 4
The Eau Claire Express hung onto a one-run lead for the final four innings as they defeated the La Crosse Loggers 5-4. La Crosse scored right away in the bottom of the first from a two-run single by Korey Lee (California). The Express tied the game in the fourth form a sac fly and fielder’s choice which scored Zach Ashford (Fresno State) and Robby Campillo (New Mexico). Eau Claire then took the lead in the fifth with three which started from a two-run single by Ashford. La Crosse got two back in the fifth which included Lee’s second RBI single, but both bullpens threw scoreless baseball. Jason Seever (Arizona) threw the final 4.1 scoreless for the Loggers, but didn’t get any run support. Three pitchers threw the final four scoreless for Eau Claire as Victor Chavez (Scottsdale CC) earned his sixth save.
Waterloo 2, Mankato 3
The Mankato MoonDogs broke a tie in the fifth and never looked back as they defeated the Waterloo Bucks 3-2. The Bucks scored their only two runs right away as they got an RBI ground out and an RBI double from Joe Genord (South Florida). Mankato got one back in the second form an RBI double by Kyle Cuellar (UCLA). Kenton Crews (Evansville) delivered big for Mankato twice as he tied it with a run scoring single in the third and drove in the go-ahead from an RBI single in the fifth. Waterloo’s bullpen used four pitchers to throw the final four scoreless, but didn’t get any run support. Mankato also used four pitchers for the final four including Naithen Dewsnap (Cal State Bakersfield) converting his eighth save.
