The Mandan Flickertails had to work to earn their win on Wednesday, as the Larks furiously rallied in the final innings, though they would come up just short. Things weren’t as close in Kalamazoo, where the Growlers topped the Mac Daddies in both games of a doubleheader, winning both games by six-run margins.
Michigan Pod
Kalamazoo Growlers 6 Kalamazoo Mac Daddies 0
The Growlers scored right away in the first, and were able to extend their lead late despite only recording four hits in the first game of their doubleheader against the Mac Daddies. Blake Dunn (Western Michigan) was 1-3 for the Growlers, with a home run and two RBI. Ryan Marra (Brown) matched his line, as he also had a home run and a pair of RBI. Luke Stephenson (Xavier) nearly matched it as well, going 1-2, with a home run and two RBI for the Growlers. Chandler Schultz (Belmont University) threw a complete game, allowing no runs on four hits while striking out three batters.
Kalamazoo Growlers 11 Kalamazoo Mac Daddies 5
After the Mac Daddies scored five runs in the bottom of the first, the Growlers put up six runs in the top of the third to take the lead before extending it in the final two innings. Brett Barrera (Stanford) was a perfect 3-3 at the plate for the Growlers, while Jake Topolski (Duke) was 2-4, with a double and two RBI. Carson Greene (Stanford) was 1-3, with a double and a team-high four RBI. Will Morrison (Western Michigan) was 2-3, with a solo home run to help the offensive effort. Chris Brown (Triton College) threw one and two-thirds of an inning, allowing a hit and striking out three batters to pick up the win. Cody Gabriel (University of Rio Grande) threw three clean innings with five strikeouts to earn the save.
Traverse City Pit Spitters 8 Great Lakes Resorters 3
The Pit Spitters scored four runs in the top of the sixth to break the game open, as they picked up an 8-3 win over the Resorters. Mario Camilletti (Central Michigan) was 2-3 for the Pit Spitters, with two RBI and a run scored. Chris Monroe (University of Illinois Springfield) was 2-3, with a triple and an RBI. Traverse City benefitted from five Great Lakes errors, including an error on a sacrifice fly in the sixth that allowed Tito Flores (Michigan) to score, and put Craig Corliss (Siena College) on first. Trenton Wood (Mount Vernon Nazarene) got the start for the Pit Spitters, throwing four innings, allowing a run on three hits with three strikeouts. Nathan Lohmeier (Bowling Green) picked up the win, throwing a scoreless inning, allowing a hit.
Minnesota-Iowa Pod
Willmar Stingers 5 Mankato MoonDogs 1
The Stingers did all their damage early, as they raced out to a 2-0 lead before the MoonDogs even got a chance to step to the plate. The first-inning scoring started when Kyle Manzardo (Washington State) singled to right field, allowing Griffin Cheney (Georgia State) to score from first base. A couple batters later, Chase Stanke (Minnesota) would single to left, scoring Manzardo and giving Willmar a 2-0 lead. They would add a run in the second, before tacking on two in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-1. The big story for the Stingers was Tanner Brown (Augustana), who picked up the win after throwing five perfect relief innings, racking up seven strikeouts.
St. Cloud Rox 2 Rochester Honkers 1
The Rox scored what would end up being the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth to slip past the Honkers in a narrow game Wednesday night. The go-ahead run scored after Collin Montez (Washington State) led off with a triple to center field. He would score on a wild pitch to put the Rox in the lead. Montez ended up finishing the game 2-3, with the triple and run scored. Jordan Barth (Augustana) was 2-3 at the plate, while Tyler Finke (Southeastern Louisiana State) was 2-4 with a run scored. Zane Mills (Washington State) threw six innings for St. Cloud, allowing an unearned run on two hits while striking out six batters to earn his first win of the season.
Wisconsin-Illinois Pod
La Crosse Loggers 3 Rockford Rivets 2
The Loggers and Rivets needed extra innings on Wednesday, as they exchanged runs in the ninth before the Loggers walked things off in the bottom of the 10th. The winning run came with nobody out and two runners on, when Andrew Meggs (Creighton) hit a ground ball to the shortstop, who couldn’t handle the ball, allowing everybody to advance, with Jason Hodges (Arkansas) scoring the game-winning run. Travis Weston (Boise State) got the start for La Crosse and turned in an outstanding performance, going five innings, allowing a run on four hits with eight strikeouts. He wouldn’t factor into the decision however, as Cam Wynne (Nebraska) struck out the side in the 10th to earn his second win of the season.
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 14 Wisconsin Woodchucks 2
An eight-run sixth inning was more than enough for the Rafters on Wednesday, as they bounced to a blowout win over the Woodchucks at Athletic Park. Christian Sepulveda (UT-Rio Grande Valley) had a monster game, going 5-5 at the plate (POTN), with a double, a home run and three RBI in addition to scoring two runs of his own. Jake Dunham (Northern Illinois) was 2-4 with an RBI. Parker Nolan (Davidson) was 2-5, with a home run and four RBI while Austin Kryszczuk (UNLV) went 3-5 at the plate, with a double and two runs scored. Glenn Albanese (Louisville) got the start and was highly effective, throwing three and two-thirds of an inning, allowing a run on two hits and striking out nine of the 16 batters he faced. Ryan Mitschele (Western Carolina) was credited with the win after throwing two and one-third of an inning, with two strikeouts.
Fond du Lac Dock Spiders 9 Green Bay Booyah 0
The Dock Spiders scored six runs in the first two innings and never looked back, as they cruised to a 9-0 win over the Booyah. John Rhodes (Kentucky) was 2-4 for Fond du Lac, with a double and three RBI. Andrew Bullock (Charleston Southern) was 2-5, with a double and two RBI, while Sam Novitske (Oregon) was 5-6 at the plate, with a double, an RBI and three runs scored. The Dock Spiders got a pair of dominating performances on the mound, as Jake Carr (West Virginia) got the start and threw five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out eight batters to claim his first win of the season. Not to be outdone, Trace Hoffman (Iowa) threw four scoreless, with two hits and six strikeouts to earn the save.
North Dakota Pod
Mandan Flickertails 9 Bismarck Larks 8
The Flickertails were able to hold off a furious Larks rally to narrowly win a 9-8 decision Wednesday at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark. Jared Wegner (Creighton) was 3-5 for Mandan, with two doubles and two RBI while Jackson Loftin (Sam Houston State) and Ben Rushing (Central Florida) both hit home runs on the game. Josh Cox (Oral Roberts) was 2-3 at the plate, with an RBI and three runs scored. Clark Candiotti (Saint Mary’s College) threw seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits to pick up his third win of the season.
Thursday, July 30 schedule (All times Central unless noted)
Kalamazoo Mac Daddies at Battle Creek Bombers 5:15 p.m. ET/8 p.m. ET
Traverse City Pit Spitters/Great Lakes Resorters 7:05 p.m. ET
Kenosha Kingfish at K-Town Bobbers 6:05 p.m.
Green Bay Booyah at Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 6:35 p.m.
La Crosse Loggers at Fond du Lac Dock Spiders 6:35 p.m.
Rockford Rivets at Wisconsin Woodchucks 6:35 p.m.
Bismarck Bull Moose at Mandan Flickertails 7:05 p.m.
Mankato MoonDogs at Willmar Stingers 7:05 p.m.
Rochester Honkers at St. Cloud Rox 7:05 p.m.
