FOND DU LAC, WI – After being tied at nine entering the ninth inning, the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders scored six runs on three hits, four walks and two hit batters to beat the Green Bay Rockers 15-9 and improve to 3-0.
The Dock Spiders are now the only undefeated team in the Great Lakes Division, and are the only team to score at least 10 runs in all three games.
“I think our guys were ready for the moment,” said Charbonneau about the night. “It’s the first time we’ve had to handle some adversity with trailing. It opened their eyes to it, but they kept fighting.”
For the third straight game, the Dock Spiders scored in the opening inning, taking a 1-0 lead off an RBI single from Kyte McDonald (Alvin C.C.) for his first hit of the year. The Rockers then responded to take the lead at 3-1 with a three run third inning.
The Dock Spiders then batted around for the first time on the night in the third, scoring five runs while sending 10 men to the plate to take a 6-3 lead. Alejandro Macario (Nova Southeastern) started the inning off with a triple, and was brought in by an RBI ground-rule double from Connor Manthey (Bradley). Cole Messina (South Carolina) also brought home two with a single.
Green Bay would claw back with two in the bottom half, but McDonald ended the inning with a leaping catch at the right-centerfield wall to steal an extra-base hit with the tying run on base.
The Rockers would then retake the lead with a two out grand slam in the sixth to go up 9-7. Nick Mitchell (Western Illinois) would then tie it up the next half inning.
In the ninth, the Dock Spiders sent 11 men to the plate and scored six runs, tallying a season-high 15 runs on the night. Tommy Stevenson (Missouri Southern State) worked a bases loaded walk, his fourth of the night, to give the Dock Spiders a 10-9 lead. Messina also tallied two more RBI with a single to collect a career-high four on the night. Garret Houston (Georgia-Gwinnett), would finish the night with four strikeouts in the final 1.2 innings, earning his first win since his first appearance since the 2021 Coastal Plain League season.
“They knew a big hit was going to happen, but they didn’t know who was going to be the guy,” explained Charbonneau. “The pitching staff gave us a great chance, and Stevenson being the guy is fitting as he’s been having professional at-bats in the first three games.”
The Dock Spiders return home to take on the Rockers on Thursday, June 2, at 11:35 a.m. at Herr-Baker Field.
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’ 28th 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 280 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 (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit dockspiders.com 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.
