FOND DU LAC, WI – The Dock Spiders fell in a tough game to the Booyah on Thursday night, losing in 10 innings 5-3.

 

Fond du Lac (4-5) got out to a great start in the first inning, after Taylor Jackson (University of Illinois) continued his productivity at the plate with a single to center that put runners at the corners for Fondy. Jackson stole second with Aaron Anderson (Liberty University) at the plate, who hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Sam Novitske (University of Oregon) from third and give the Dock Spiders the early 1-0 lead.

 

Andrew Bullock (Charleston Southern University) made it 2-o Dock Spiders after a groundout to first base that brought in Jackson from third.

 

Much like Thursday night’s game in Green Bay, the Booyah (5-5) scored two runs of their own in the top of the second inning that brought it to a 2-2 tie.

 

Two innings later in the fourth, Tate Kolwyck (Vanderbilt University) reached on a double into left and eventually scored after Jack Alexander (Austin Peay) dropped a base hit into shallow right field and put the Dock Spiders in front 3-2.

 

Green Bay didn’t let the lead last, however, as they responded right back the very next inning to again tie the game at three in the fifth.

 

Things became interesting in the bottom of the seventh inning after Novitske lined a base hit to left to reach first. That brought up Jackson, who tattooed a ball that just went by Novitske and into right field and move Novitske to third. After the play, Booyah players on the first base side argued that the ball went off of Novitske’s leg and that he should be called out. The umpires gathered to discuss the play and later decided to overturn the call on the field and call Novitske out.

 

Following the change in ruling on the field, Dock Spiders manager Zac Charbonneau came out to argue and was ejected from the game as a result of the overturned call. The Dock Spiders would not score a run in that inning.

 

Theo Denlinger (Bradley University) celebrated his 24th birthday on Friday night and helped keep the game tied after a perfect inning of work in the ninth to give the Dock Spiders a chance to walk it off. Fond du Lac nearly did just that, as Jackson roped a well-hit ball to right with Novitske at second, but it was caught to end the inning.

 

After four consecutive scoreless innings starting in the fifth, the game went to extra innings. A runner is placed at second base any time a game goes past the ninth, and it helped the Booyah immediately, as they scored two runs in the top of the 10th off Denlinger who stayed in for his second inning of work.

 

The Dock Spiders would threaten in their half of the 10th, but were unable to make the comeback and fell to the Booyah 5-3.

 

Despite the loss, Fond du Lac pitching had a bounceback night as they posted 14 combined strikeouts and six hits over 10 innings of play.

 

Jake Carr (West Virginia University) started the game and had a great season debut, striking out six batters in four innings pitched. Chris Aldrich (UCLA) threw two and two-thirds innings and struck out four, and allowed only one run on one hit. Nate Thomas (Northern Illinois University) struck out two in an inning and a third and did not allow a hit. Denlinger struck out two in his two innings of work.

 

The Dock Spiders will host a two-game series against the La Crosse Loggers, with the first game starting at 6:35 pm on Saturday the 11th at Herr-Baker Field at Marian University.

 

The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.dockspiders.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Dock Spiders as your favorite team.