It’s getting close to the end of the 2020 Northwoods League season, and teams are jockeying for positioning in the final standings. The Bismarck Larks now hold a three-game lead over the Mandan Flickertails after beating Mandan 6-1 on Saturday night, though that race is still wide open. In Kenosha, the Kingfish needed eight innings to beat the Bobbers, which they did thanks to a walk-off sacrifice fly.

Michigan Pod
Kalamazoo Growlers 1 Kalamazoo Mac Daddies 0
Jake Burley (Brown University) hit a infield single in the bottom of the second to give the Growlers the only run of the game. Joseph Kalafut (Edgewood College) was 2-2, with a double while Burley was 1-2 with the lone RBI of the game. Brett Barrera (Stanford) was 1-2, with a double and a run scored. Nate Wargolet (Grand Valley State) threw four scoreless innings, allowing three hits with four strikeouts to improve to 4-0 on the season. Trey Nordmann (Howard College) threw one scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts to earn his sixth save of the season.

Kalamazoo Growlers 3 Kalamazoo Mac Daddies 3
Neither team was able to break the deadlock in the second of three games on Saturday, ending in a 3-3 tie. Aaron Cardoza (Davenport University) was 2-2 for the Growlers, with two runs scored. Grant Jebbia (Davenport University) got the start for the Growlers and threw four innings, allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts. James Krick (Hillsdale College) threw two and two-thirds of an inning for the Mac Daddies, allowing a pair of hits with three strikeouts.

Kalamazoo Mac Daddies 4 Kalamazoo Growlers 1
The Mac Daddies took an early 4-0 lead, then held off a late rally from the Growlers to pick up a win in the nightcap against the Growlers. The Mac Daddies had four different players record hits, led by Alex ludwick (Baldwin Wallace), who was 1-2 with two RBI. Dane Armbrustmacher (Western Michigan) threw four innings, allowing a run on four hits with two strikeouts to improve to 2-2 on the season. Alex Babbitt (Kalamazoo Valley CC) threw a scoreless fifth inning, striking out two batters to pick up the save.

Traverse City Pit Spitters 11 Great Lakes Resorters 2
The Pit Spitters offense exploded for 11 runs on 13 hits Saturday night to easily top the Resorters. Tommy Troy (Stanford) was 3-6 for the Spitters, with a triple and four runs batted in. Evan Maday (Hope College), Carson Eby (Davenport University) and Trey Yunger (Wofford) all had two hits, with Yunger driving in a pair of runs. Nathan Lohmeier (Bowling Green State) threw four scoreless innings for Traverse City, allowing two hits and striking out three batters. He gave way to Joey Drury (Davenport University), who threw two perfect innings to claim his first win of the season.

Wisconsin-Illinois Pod
Green Bay Booyah 7 Wisconsin Woodchucks 6
The Booyah scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to rally and beat the Woodchucks on Saturday night. Colin Kleffman (UW-La Crosse) was 2-3 for Green Bay, with a run scored and two runs batted in along with a pair of walks. ANndy Blake (Columbia) was 2-5, wtith a double and a run scored while Ty Olejnik (UW-Milwaukee) was 2-3 for the Booyah. Jack Mahoney (UW-Milwaukee) got the start and threw six and one-third of an inning, allowing three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Connor Spear (UW-Whitewater) picked up the win after throwing two and two-third of an inning, striking out three batters and allowing two hits.

Fond du Lac Dock Spiders 7 Rockford Rivets 2
The Dock Spiders set the tone early, scoring two runs in the top of the first to cruise to a 7-2 win over the Rockford Rivets, who have now lost nine consecutive games. Caleb Durbin (Washington University in St. Louis) was 2-6 for Fond du Lac, with a run scored while Marcos Sanchez (Texas Wesleyan) recorded a pair of hits and a walk. Sam Novitske (Oregon) drew three walks, drove in a run and scored two runs. Ryan Loutos (UW-Whitewater) threw six innings for the Dock Spiders, allowing two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts to improve to 3-0 on the season. Ryan Duffy (Minnesota) threw two scoreless relief innings while Theo Denlinger (Bradley University) threw a scoreless inning to close out the game.

La Crosse Loggers 6 Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 5
The Loggers were able to keep the Rafters at Bay, picking up a narrow 6-5 win Saturday night. Braiden Ward (Washington) led the La Crosse offense, going 1-3 with three runs batted in. Christian Dicochea (Washington) was 2-3, with two runs scored while Kyson Donahue (Arizona) was 1-3 with a pair of runs scored. ANdy Garriola (Old Dominion) and Christian Sepulveda (UT-Rio Grande Valley) were both 2-4 for the Rafters, with both hitting doubles. Mitch Lines (Boise State) got the start for La Crosse and threw five innings, allowing three runs on six hit siwth four strikeouts to pick up his second win of the season. Erik Demchuk (University of Antelope Valley) threw one scoreless inning to pick up the save.

Kenosha Series
Kenosha Kingfish 4 K-Town Bobbers 3
Drew Dyer (Carthage College) hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to give the Kingfish a walk-off win over the Bobbers Saturday night. Joe Vyskocil (UW-Milwaukee) was 1-3 for Kenosha, with a double and two runs batted in while McKay Barney (BYU) had a pair of hits and scored one run. Brock Weirather (Grinnell College) got the start for Kenosha and threw six innings, allowing three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. Bryant Bagshaw (Dominican University) was credited with his third win of the season after throwing a scoreless eighth inning.

Minnesota-Iowa Pod
Rochester Honkers 10 Waterloo Bucks 0
The Honkers were able to hold the Bucks off the board on Saturday to take a 4-0 win. Taison Corio (Cal Poly) was 2-5 for Rochester, with a double while Robert Moore (Arkansas) was 2-3 with an RBI. Aaron Simmons (UW-Stevens Point) and Jacob Shaver (Arizona) also had multiple hits for the Honkers, who had 10 hits on the game. Jeremy Klick (University of St. Thomas) threw five scoreless innings, only allowing one hit while striking out three batters to pick up his first win of the season. Stone Churby (Sacramento State) wrapped up the game with a scoreless ninth, recording two strikeouts.

Mankato MoonDogs 6 Willmar Stingers 5
The Stingers had the game-tying run at second base in the top of the ninth, but Andre Granillo (UC-Riverside) recorded two consecutive strikeouts to lock down the game, collecting his second save of the season. Christian Johnson (Gustavus Adolphus College) was credited with the win after throwing five innings, allowing eight hits and striking out six batters. Mikey Gottschalk (Minnesota State University Mankato) was 3-5 for the Willmar offense, with two runs scored. Michael Curialle (UCLA) went 2-3 at the plate with an RBI while Jack Waletich (Minnesota State University Mankato) was 1-2 with two RBI and a run scored.

North Dakota Pod
Bismarck Larks 6 Mandan Flickertails 1
The Larks extended their lead in the North Dakota Pod standings to three games on Saturday with a 6-1 win over the Mandan Flickertails. Jaxon Rosencranz (Augustans University) was 2-4 for Bismarck, with a home run and three runs batted in. Jayce Bailey (Boise State) was 2-4, with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. Yassir Kahook (Toledo) threw seven innings, allowing no runs on five hits with four strikeouts to pick up his fourth win of the season. Sam Hanson (St. John’s University) threw two innings, allowing a hit on a run with three strikeouts to close out the game.

Sunday August 16 schedule (All times Central unless noted)
Waterloo Bucks at Rochester Honkers 1:05 p.m.
Green Bay Booyah at Wisconsin Woodchucks 1:05 p.m.
K-Town Bobbers at Kenosha Kingfish 1:05 p.m.
Battle Creek Bombers at Kalamazoo Growlers 2:30 p.m. ET/5:15 p.m. ET/8 p.m. ET
Fond du Lac Dock Spiders at Rockford Rivets 3:05 p.m.
Mankato MoonDogs at St. Cloud Rox 4:05 p.m.
Traverse City Pit Spitters at Great Lakes Resorters 5:05 p.m. ET
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at La Crosse Loggers 5:05 p.m.