It was another busy night in the Northwoods League, highlighted by a walk-off win by the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, and a 14-1 thrashing courtesy of the Rockford Rivets, who had no struggles against the Green Bay Booyah.
North Dakota Pod
Mandan Flickertails 5 Bismarck Bull Moose 0
The Flickertails had no problems Friday, scoring five runs in the final innings to break the deadlock and claim the 5-0 win over the Bull Moose. Damone Hale (Yavapai C.C.) was the offensive leader for the Flickertails, going 2-5 at the plate with a double, a triple, an RBI and a run scored. Jared Wegner (Creighton) was also 2-5, with one RBI. Collin Hopkins (Indiana) went 1-4 for Mandan with two RBI to lead the team in that category. John Wilson (Old Dominion) got the win for the Flickertails, throwing six scoreless innings scattering three hits and recording eight strikeouts. Nick Hill (Nicholls State) picked up the save, as he threw three scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Minnesota-Iowa Pod
Mankato MoonDogs 13 Rochester Honkers 5
The MoonDogs effectively ended the game in the second, when they put up 10 runs to sprint out to the lead. Tanner Craig (University of Evansville) was the offensive leader for Mankato, going 2-6 at the plate with three runs scored, a double, a home run and four RBI. Dylan Phillips (Kansas State) was 2-5, with a double and three RBI while Evan Berkey (Cal State-Bakersfield) and Danny Borgstrom (University of Evansville) both had a pair of RBI. The MoonDogs’ pitching staff recorded 12 strikeouts, led by five from Tyler Theriot (Nicholls State), who got the start and threw four innings. Nolan Pender (Bellarmine University) picked up the win, throwing one and two-thirds innings with two strikeouts.
St. Cloud Rox 6 Waterloo Bucks 2
The Rox scored three runs in the fifth to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, as they slid past the Bucks Friday night at Joe Faber Field. Jordan Barth (Augustana) was 3-3 at the plate for St. Cloud, with one RBI. Garett Delano (Mercer) was 1-1 after coming on as a pinch hitter, with two RBI. Tyler Finke (Southeastern Louisiana) was 1-3 on the night, but the one hit was a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth to help the Rox take the lead. Brandon White (Washington State) got the win for the Rox, as he threw one scoreless inning of relief ball, with a pair of strikeouts.
Wisconsin-Illinois Pod
Rockford Rivets 14 Green Bay Booyah 1
The Rivets offense showed up in full force on Friday as they poured 14 runs on the Booyah to increase their lead in the Wisconsin-Illinois East standings. They were leading 4-1 entering the sixth, where they stacked four runs on five hits. After posting another run in the seventh, they added five runs in the bottom of the eighth to solidify their monster win. Jeff Heinrich (South Carolina) led the Rivets offense, going 3-4 at the plate with a double, two triples, two RBI and three runs scored. Carson Seymour (Kansas State) also had a good night, going 5-5 at the plate with two RBI. Zach Kammin (Coe College) picked up the win for Rockford, throwing six and two-thirds innings, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out nine batters.
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 4 Fond du Lac Dock Spiders 3
Billy Cook (Pepperdine) didn’t waste any time in the bottom of the ninth, as he took the third pitch of the inning and deposited it over the left field fence to give the Rafters a walk-off win over the Dock Spiders. It was his only hit of the night, but it was easily the most important. Jack-Thomas Wold (UNLV) was 2-4 for the Rafters, with one RBI while Kyle Teel (Virginia) was 2-3 for Wisconsin Rapids. Ricky Castro (Purdue) got his first win of the season after throwing one scoreless inning, with one strikeout.
La Crosse Loggers 7 Wisconsin Woodchucks 5
The Loggers raced out to an early lead, but they had to hold off a furious Woodchucks rally to pick up the win Friday night. Jacob Blas (Arizona) was 2-3 at the plate for the Loggers, with two runs scored. Austin Murr (North Carolina State) was 2-4, with a double and two runs scored of his own. Marius Balandis (St. Louis University) got the start for La Crosse, and threw five innings, allowing one run on four hits and recording five strikeouts to pick up his first win of the season. Jared Freillich (Penn State) picked up the save after throwing one and one-third of an inning, allowing one run on one hit and recording a strikeout.
Kenosha Series
Kenosha Kingfish 9 K-Town Bobbers 7
The Kingfish scored six runs in the second to race to an early lead, but the Bobbers were able to claw their way back, but ultimately fell short in the third game of the Kenosha Series. Kai Murphy (Oregon State) led the Kingfish offense, going 2-5 with a double and three RBI. Justin Barr (Akron) was 2-4, with a double and two runs scored. Thomas Rudinsky (Montana State University Billings) led the Bobbers offense, going 2-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
Michigan Pod
Battle Creek Bombers 6 Kalamazoo Growlers 1
The Bombers scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead and top the Growlers 6-1 in the first game of a doubleheader. Joseph Mason (Mount Olive) led the Bombers offense, going 1-2 with a pair of RBI. Pablo Arevalo (Southern Illinois) threw a complete game for Battle Creek, throwing five innings, allowing a run on seven hits with three strikeouts to pick up his second win of the season.
Battle Creek Bombers 3 Kalamazoo Growlers 2
The Bombers walked-off the Growlers in the nightcap Friday, and it was T.J. McKenzie (Vanderbilt) who was the hero, as he singled in the bottom of the fifth, allowing Josh Swinehart (Western Michigan) to score the game-winning run. McKenzie ended up going 2-3 on the night, with a double and a run scored. He was the only Bomber to record multiple hits. Thomas Schultz (Vanderbilt) was credited with the win after throwing two and one-third of an inning, allowing no runs or hits and recording one strikeout.
Schedule for Saturday July 18 (All times Central unless noted)
Bismarck Bull Moose at Bismarck Larks 12:35/7:05 p.m.
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at Fond du Lac Dock Spiders 1:05 p.m.
Kalamazoo Mac Daddies at Battle Creek Bombers 5:15 p.m. ET
Green Bay Booyah at Rockford Rivets 6:05 p.m.
Wisconsin Woodchucks at La Crosse Loggers 6:05 p.m.
Kenosha Kingfish at K-Town Bobbers 6:05 p.m.
Rochester Honkers at St. Cloud Rox 6:05 p.m.
Willmar Stingers at Mankato MoonDogs 6:35 p.m.
