The Duluth Huskies defeated Mankato by one today to keep their game lead over Bismarck. The Larks though kept pace with a win over Eau Claire. Mankato and Willmar are both out of the running for top spot in the Division due to being three games back with two to play.
Eau Claire 2, Bismarck 3
The Bismarck Larks used a big seventh inning to take the lead and defeat the Eau Claire Express 3-2. Cody Milligan (Oklahoma State) hit a sac fly in the fourth to put the Express on the board. Michael Farnell (Murray State) then gave Bismarck the lead in the seventh with three when he went deep. The Express used small ball again to put up another in the eighth, but Tristen Hudson (West Virginia) and Colan Borchers (Western Illinois) were able to end the game for the Larks out of the bullpen.
Rockford 12, Battle Creek 11
The Rockford Rivets prevented a really late rally from the Battle Creek Bombers and won the game 12-11. The Rivets got a pair in the opening inning when Hal Hughes (LSU) connected on a single. The Rivets got two more in the second which was powered by a Bombers error. Rockford got another two in the third to go up six. Battle Creek then exploded for seven in the fourth. Alec Cargin (Wofford) knocked in two from a double and another two came in on a long shot by Caleb Henderson (New Mexico State). The Rivets jacked a two-run shot by Cade Bunnell (Indiana) part of a five-run fifth inning. Battle Creek came within one in the bottom half which was powered by a two-run double from Zach Gartner (East Texas Baptist). Rockford scored one in the ninth while Drake Osborn (Texas A&M Corpus Chrisiti) hit an RBI single for Battle Creek in the bottom half, but the Rivets got a strike out to end the game.
La Crosse 12, Rochester 5
The La Crosse Loggers put up five in the third and defeated the Rochester Honkers 12-5. The Loggers put up three in the opening inning which was started by a Honkers error. Rochester responded for two in the bottom half from another error. La Crosse got another five in the third as Harrison Freed (Butler) started things with a two-run shot and Braiden Ward (Washington) knocked in two from a single. Shane McGuire (San Diego) then hit a two-run bomb in the fourth for the Loggers and then knocked in another from a single. He hit one more RBI single in the seventh, but the Honkers responded for three in the bottom half. Stephen Knapp (Bellevue) bounced back and threw the final two scoreless for his second save.
Madison 3, Green Bay 2 (7 Innings)
The Madison Mallards took the lead in the fifth and defeated the Green Bay Bullfrogs 3-2 in seven innings after it was called due to rain. Madison scored first with a pair in the second from an error and a wild pitch. The Frogs tied it in the fourth from an error also. Justice Bigbie (Western Carolina) doubled in the go ahead in the seventh for the Mallards while only facing 10 batters in the rain-shortened game.
Waterloo, Thunder Bay (Postponed to July 2, 4:00 PM)
The game has been postponed due to weather. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader tomorrow in Thunder Bay starting at 1:35 PM. Both games will be seven inning games.
Lakeshore 7, Wisconsin 3
The Lakeshore Chinooks used the middle innings to take the lead and defeat the Wisconsin Woodchucks 7-3. The Chucks got one in the second inning when Alex Toral (Miami) knocked in a run from a single. The Chinooks took the lead with fourth when Turner Buis (Costal Caorlina ) led off a four-run inning with a home run. Lakeshore got two more in the fifth on a single by Jim Govern (Eastern Illinois) and an error. The Chinooks got one more in the seventh, Wisconsin put up two in the eighth, but Marko Boricich (Penn State) struck out the side in the ninth.
Fond du Lac 5, Kalamazoo 8
The Kalamazoo Growlers put up five in the fourth which was enough to surge over the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders and win the game 8-5. Fondy got a pair in the opening inning where the Growlers committed two errors. Kalamazoo got five in the fourth as Jason Sullivan (Central Michigan) knocked in two from a double and Niko Kavadas (Notre Dame) and Matt Mervis (Duke) jacked home runs. The Spiders came within one in the fifth, but Baron Radcliff (Georgia Tech) knocked in two out of three runs in the fifth from a single. The Spiders got another in the seventh, but went scoreless in the final two as Mason Shinabery (Huntington) converted his third save.
Kenosha 5, Wisconsin Rapids 16
The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters used two five run innings and defeated the Kenosha Kingfish 16-5. The Kingfish scored four in the first as two came from an error and the others came from a Connor Doyle single. Rapids got two in the second when Brody Wofford (UCF) hit a two-run double. The Rafters first five run inning came in the fourth. Jordan Wiley (Kalamazoo) started things with a two-run single. Kenosha got one in the fifth, but Rapids got the run back in the bottom half. The Rafters put up three in the sixth and then another five in the eighth when Wofford jacked a two-run shot and Steven Rivas (Long Beach State) hit a solo shot. Mason McReaken (SIUE) pitched the ninth and closed the door on Kneosha.
Duluth 3, Mankato 2
The Duluth Huskies scored its first three in the ninth which was enough to defeat the Mankato MoonDogs 3-2. Andrew Stout (Liberty) threw eight innings for Duluth. He allowed just two runs on six hits while striking out 10. Jarod Wright (Southern Miss.) threw 6.2, allowed nothing on two hits and four walks while striking out seven for the MoonDogs. Mankato got its two runs in the sixth on an error and RBI single by CJ Huntley (Indiana State). The Huskies then got Nicholas Sogard (Loyola-Marymount) to drive in two from a single and an error sent home the third for the eventual game-winner.
St. Cloud 3, Willmar 7
The Willmar Stingers allowed just three runs late to the St. Cloud Rox and won the game 7-3. Willmar got a pair in the opening inning from a wild pitch and a sac fly. Corey Binger (Minnesota State) threw eight scoreless for the Stingers, allowed just five hits and struck out five. They got three more in the fifth when John Trousdale (Alabama) jacked a three-run shot and then scored one more in the sixth. Willmar got one in the seventh, St. Cloud got three in the ninth when Connor Aube (UTA) drove in two from a double, but the next guy struck out to end the game.
Schedule for July 2:
Waterloo @ Thunder Bay (1:35 PM) (Game 1)
Kenosha @ Lakeshore (1:35 PM)
Waterloo @ Thunder Bay (4:00 PM) (Game 2)
Rochester @ Duluth (6:35 PM)
Eau Claire @ Willmar (7:05 PM)
Wisconsin @ Green Bay (7:05 PM)
Rockford @ Kalamazoo (7:05 PM)
Fond du Lac @ Battle Creek (7:05 PM)
La Crosse @ Mankato (7:05 PM)
St. Cloud @ Bismarck (7:05 PM)
Madison @ Wisconsin Rapids (7:05 PM)
