The Northwoods League featured a 13 game slate, including a double header between the Lakeshore Chinooks and the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. The Rapids Rafters split the series after dropping game one and won game two 9-1. The Willmar Stingers lead the entire league with a 23-7 record after their win against the Bismarck Larks allowed them to clinch the first-half championship in the Great Plains West. Traverse City looks to continue leading the Great Lakes division after their series sweep against Battle Creek.
Lakeshore 6, Wisconsin Rapids 2**
The Chinooks took the game against Wisconsin Rapids, defeating them 6-2 to secure the win. Lakeshore is now 12-18 on the season.
Gabe Roessler (Madison College) led the Chinooks offense going 2-for-3 with two doubles, four RBI, and scored once. Drew Townsend (Missouri St) went 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI. Matthew Mueller (Gonzaga) earned the win throwing 6 innings and allowed only one hit, one run, four walks, and struck out seven.
Lakeshore 1, Wisconsin Rapids 9
The Rafters split the double header Thursday evening after dropping game one earlier in the afternoon. The Rafters are now 17-14 on the season.
Chris Coniff (Wagner College) went 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored. Garrett Broussard (Utah Valley) also led the team with two hits and one RBI on the night. Nick Paulsen (Wisconsin – Stevens Point) earned the win throwing 2 innings and allowed only two hits, zero runs, walks, and struck out one.
Eau Claire 8, Thunder Bay 0
The Eau Claire Express defeated Thunder Bay 8-0 to take game two of the series Thursday evening. The Express rally back with a strong performance on offense and defense to split the series.
Bronson Rivera (Hawaii) led Eau Claire’s offense with three hits and three RBI on the evening. Ryan Nagelbach (Illinois – Chicago) drove in three RBI off two hits and scored three times. Tanner Sagouspe (Cal Poly) tallied two RBI on the evening. Jake Matthaidess (Oakland) earned the win throwing 7 innings and allowed six hits, zero runs, one walk, and four strikeouts.
Kalamazoo 6, Kokomo 2
The Growlers win the series against Kokomo Thursday evening after scoring six runs on seven hits to secure the win. The Growlers are 17-13 on the season, ranking third in the Great Lakes East division.
Joey Winters (Ottawa) and Gabe Springer (Stanford) each went 2-for-4 and combined for three runs scored and three RBI. Luke Mitchell (Montevallo) and Will Furniss (Mississippi) each tallied one RBI on the evening. Eamon Horwedel earned the win throwing 7 innings and allowed four hits, one run, one walk, and four strikeouts.
Battle Creek 1, Traverse City 2
The Traverse City Pit Spitters swept their series against Battle Creek Thursday evening, tallying fourteen hits and only scoring two on the night. The Pit Spitters continue to lead the Great Lakes division with a 20-11 record.
Evan Orzech (Saint Xavier) went 4-for-4 with two double and two RBI on the night, leading the team in both categories and scoring the games only two runs. Camden Traficante (Embry Riddle) went 2-for-4 with a double. Colin Summerhill (Arizona) and Glenn Miller (Eastern Michigan) each tallied two hits. Mitch White (Cincinnati) earned the win throwing 1.1 innings and allowed one hit, zero runs, walks, and struck out one.
Madison 11, Fond du Lac 13
After a day off, the Dock Spiders defeat the Madison Mallards 13-11 to secure the win Thursday evening, The Dock Spiders earned their eleventh win.
Seven batters in the Dock Spiders lineup tallied at least one hit this evening. Jack Gorman (Presbyterian) and Parker Noland (Vanderbilt) each went 2-for-4 combining for four runs and three RBI. Jacob Young (Fairmont St) earned the win throwing 1.1 innings and allowed two hits, zero runs, zero walks, and one strikeout.
Green Bay 13, Wausau 7
The Green Bay Rockers split the series against the Wausau Woodchucks after dropping game one against them Wednesday evening. The Rockers sit at second just behind the Woodchucks with a 18-14 record in the Great Lakes West division.
Kendal Ewell (Kentucky) went 4-for-6 with a triple, two RBI, and scored two times. Kyle West (West Virginia) went 3-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored. Carlos Hernandez (Anderson) tallied three RBI on the evening, leading the team in that category. Tyler Horvath (Case Western Reserve) earned the win throwing 4.1 innings and allowed one hit, zero walks, and struck out six.
Minnesota 2, Rochester 19
The Rochester Honkers split the series after an explosive offensive performance propels them to a 19-2 win on the evening. The Honkers are 16-14 on the season.
Brendan O’Sullivan (San Joaquin Delta College) went 2-for-4 with two walks, one RBI, and two runs scored. Kimo Fukofuka (San Jose St) went 3-for-4 with a home run, five RBI, and scored four times. Petey Craska (Georgia Tech) went 2-for-2 with a home run, three RBI, and three runs scored. Max Meyer (Frontier) earned the win throwing 2.1 innings – allowing one hit, one run, two walks, and struck out four.
Rockford 1, Kenosha 5
The Kenosha Kingfish earned the win after their day off on Wednesday, defeating the Rivets 5-1 Thursday evening. The Kingfish are now 16-14 on the season, ranking fourth in the Great Lakes East division.
Vytas Valincius (Illinois) and Isaac Williams (New Orleans) led the team with two RBI on the evening, combing for four runs total. Cameron Lejeune (McNeese St) earned the win throwing 4.1 innings with two hits, zero runs, three walks, and struck out five.
La Crosse 2, St. Cloud 3
The St. Cloud Rox defeated the La Crosse Loggers 3-2 again Thursday evening, sweeping the series against the Loggers. The Rox place second behind Willmar with a 19-11 record on the season.
Five batters in the Rox’s lineup tallied one hit on the evening. Ben Vujovich (St. Thomas) led the offense with two RBI. Tommy Gross (Creighton) earned his third win on the mound after throwing 3 innings and allowed one hit, zero runs, two walks, and three strikeouts.
Waterloo 13, Duluth 12
The Waterloo Bucks defeated the Duluth Huskies in a tight battle Thursday evening and came out no top winning 13-12. The Bucks earned their eleventh win on the season.
Blake Burris (Arkansas) led the offense with three hits, driving in one run and scoring three times. Cole Hill (Stephen F. Austin St) went 2-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored. Brandon Fish (Massachusetts – Lowell) and Michael Lippe (Louisville) each tallied two RBI on the evening. Sam Skarich (Southeastern Community College) earned the win throwing 1.1 innings and allowed two hits, two runs, one walk, and struck out two.
Mankato 8 , Minot 2
The Mankato MoonDogs respond to a game one loss against the Minot Hot Tots Thursday evening. The Moondogs rank third in the Great Plains West division with a 18-13 record.
Ryan Nicholson (Cincinatti) went 3-for-4 with a home run, one RBI, and two runs scored. Kai Roberts (Utah) went 2-for-4 with a double, home run, one RBI, and scored three times. Kolby Kiser (Southwest Minnesota St) earned his second win on the mound after throwing 7 innings and allowed six hits, two runs, two walks, and struck out three batters.
Bismarck 1, Willmar 13
The Willmar Stingers bounce back and claim the crown in the first-half in the Great Plains West Division after dropping the first game of the series Wednesday evening. The Stingers continue to lead the Great Plains division with a 23-7 record.
Drey Dirksen (Augustana) went 3-for-5 with a double, two home runs, six RBI, and scored twice. Luke Williams (Alabama) went 3-for-4 with a double and one RBI. Aidan Byrne (Minnesota St – Mankato) tallied two RBI on the evening. Ryan Wiltse (Saint Mary’s College) earned the win after throwing 6 innings – allowing three hits, one run, two walks, and six strikeouts.
