The four spots in the south Division have been clinched. Madison won the first half, Fond du Lac and Kalamazoo clinched last night while the Kenosha Kingfish grabbed the final spot tonight. Willmar has won two straight and Mankato won its fourth in a row. The Stingers hold a half game lead over the MoonDogs, La Crosse trails by one game and Duluth is 1.5 back. Willmar and Duluth are now tied for first in the overall standings.
Battle Creek 7, Lakeshore 5
The Battle Creek Bombers prevented a late comeback and defeated the Lakeshore Chinooks 7-5. Battle Creek got a pair in the opening which was started by Zach Gartner (East Texas Baptist) hitting an RBI double. The Bombers got four in the second on a two-run double by Jordan Swiss (Saginaw Valley State) and a two-run single from Gartner. Lakeshore managed three in the fourth as Ronald Sweeny III (Iowa Western) hit a two-run shot. He knocked in another in the sixth, but Battle Creek scored on a pass ball in the eighth. The Chinooks put up one in the bottom of the ninth, but the next guy lined out to end the game.
Fond du Lac, Rockford (2nd Inning) (Postponed to August 10 at 5:05 PM)
The game has been suspended in the 2nd inning. It will resumed tomorrow and will be finished to nine innings. The regularly scheduled game will take place 30 minutes afterwards and will be seven innings.
Mankato 6, Eau Claire 5 (10 Innings)
The Mankato MoonDogs scored in the tenth and defeated the Eau Claire Express 6-5. Mankato got two in the second as Garrett Mitchell (UCLA) started things with an RBI single. The Express managed one in the bottom half from an RBI single by Mitchell Buban (UW-Milwaukee). Eau Claire tied it in the third, but Mankato put up three in the fifth which was powered by CJ Huntley (Indiana State) hitting a two-run single. The Express then put up three in the bottom half to tie it back up as Ryan Bishop (Dallas Baptist) sparked the inning by knocking in one from a single. The game went into extra innings, Brandon Pfaadt (Bellarmine) threw 1.2 in relief and struck out four. The Dogs took the lead in the 10th when Mitchell scored on a wild pitch and the side went down in-order to end the game.
Wisconsin Rapids 8, Wisconsin 7
The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters used a big ninth inning and defeated the Wisconsin Woodchucks 8-7. The Chucks got a pair in the first which started from Zach DeLoach (Texas A&M) hitting an RBI double. Rapids tied it in the second as Dustin Woodcock (SIUE) hit an RBI double himself. Wisconsin then took the lead in the bottom half and then another pair in the third as Reese Alexiades (Pepperdine) led off the inning with a homer. The Rafters got two dingers from Brody Wofford (UCF) and Matt Schmidt (Michigan). The Chucks got one in the bottom half and then another in the seventh. Rapids battled back, took the lead with four in the ninth. The eventual game-winner came from Jake Dunham (Northern Illinois) hitting an RBI double.
Duluth 4, Waterloo 5 (10 Innings)
The Waterloo Bucks walked it off in the bottom of the 10th and defeated the Duluth Huskies 5-4. The Huskies got one in the opening inning on an error. The Huskies got another in the next inning, but Dawnoven Smith (NCA&T) hit an RBI single in the bottom half for Waterloo to help them tie the game. The Huskies took the lead in the third on an error and then another in the sixth. Waterloo managed one in the seventh on an error and then eventually forced extra innings in the eighth. The ninth combined error came in the 10th as Smith singled in the game-winning run.
Kenosha 7, Kalamazoo 3
The Kenosha Kingfish scored three late and increased its lead to defeat the Kalamazoo Growlers 7-3. The Kingfish got two in the second on a homer by Bryce Carter (Stanford). They got another two in the fourth on a single by Devin Ortiz (Virginia). The Growlers got on the board in the fourth on a two-run jack by Jonathan Foster (Florida State). Kalamazoo got another in the sixth on an RBI ground out by Foster. Kenosha scored once more in the seventh, eighth and then the ninth as the bullpen threw the final four to end the game.
Rochester 2, Willmar 4
The Willmar Stingers used an important sixth inning to build a lead and defeat the Rochester Honkers 4-2. The Honkers scored first when Nate Webb (UC Riverside) led off the game with a homer. The Stingers tied it in the second and then took the lead in the fourth. The two-run sixth came when Jayson Newman (Cal-State Northridge) went deep. Rochester got another in the seventh, but Newman came in and completed his ninth save of the season.
Madison 2, Green Bay 3
The Green Bay Bullfrogs walked it off against the Madison Mallards and won the game 3-2. Green Bay got on the board in the second when Andre Antone (UC Irvine) hit an RBI single. Madison got one in the third when Justice Bigbie (Western Carolina) hit an RBI single. The Frogs retook the lead in the fifth and then the Mallards tied it in the ninth on an RBI single by Tyler Plantier (Richmond). Then with one out one out and a runner on third, Blaise Maris (Florida Tech) scored the winner on a pass ball.
La Crosse 12, Bismarck 5
The La Crosse Loggers scored early and built a lead to defeat the Bismarck Larks 12-5. The Loggers got three right away in the first as Harrison Freed (Butler) knocked in two from a single. Five more came in the next inning as Mike Rothenberg (Duke) hit a three-run shot. The Larks got four in the third as Matthew Warkentin (Xavier) hit a three-run shot himself. La Crosse put up a pair in the fourth as Steve Mann (Duke) hit a single for two. The Loggers got two in the fifth and then Jacob Nesbit (Arkansas) homered to lead off the bottom half for Bismarck. Tyler Bujanowski (McHenry CC) threw 2.2 scoreless to help keep the lead for La Crosse.
Thunder Bay 0, St. Cloud 3
The St. Cloud Rox limited the Thunder Bay Border Cats to just two hits and won the game 3-0. The Rox got its first on a wild pitch which scored Ricardo Sanchez (Arkansas-State). They got its second on an RBI single from Ryland Kerr (Eastern Kentucky). Noah Hill (BYU) hit an RBI single for St. Cloud in the seventh. Will Warren (SE Louisiana) threw seven scoreless, allowed just two hits and three walks while striking out seven for his second win. Erik Martinez (Cal) threw the final inning and picked up his fourth save.
Schedule for August 10:
Fond du Lac @ Rockford (5:05 PM) (Game 1)
Duluth @ Waterloo (6:35 PM)
Battle Creek @ Lakeshore (6:35 PM)
Fond du Lac @ Rockford (6:35 PM) (Game 2)
Thunder Bay @ St. Cloud (7:05 PM)
Mankato @ Eau Claire (7:05 PM)
Rochester @ Willmar (7:05 PM)
Wisconsin @ Wisconsin Rapids (7:05 PM)
Kenosha @ Kalamazoo (7:05 PM)
Green Bay @ Madison (7:05 PM)
La Crosse @ Bismarck (7:35 PM)
