FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders set the Northwoods League single-season runs and came within three outs of the first no-hitter in franchise history during a 19-4 win over the Green Bay Rockers at Herr-Baker Field on Friday night in front of the 1,978, the largest crowd of the season at Herr-Baker Field.
The win marked the third game this year that the Dock Spiders have scored at least 19 runs in a game. They also tied the season-high with three home runs and set a new season-high with two grand slams.
With the win, the Dock Spiders improved to 34-29 on the year, and 15-14 in the second half. The Rockers fell to 24-39, 14-13 in the half.
Josh Culliver (Minnesota) got the start for the Dock Spiders and dazzled. He struck out five over four no-hit innings and retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced. The Dock Spiders offense got started early to help him out. They exploded for six runs in the bottom of the first inning, capped off by a 418-foot three-run homer from Tyeler Hawkins (Louisville) to make it 6-0. The home run was the farthest hit by a Dock Spider this year. In the second inning, Nolan Tichy (UMass) brought home a run on a single to make it 7-0.
The offense continued in the third inning when Nick Mitchell (Western Illinois) drove in his 48th RBI of the year with a single to make it 8-0. Kemp Alderman (Ole Miss) would then smash a 381-foot grand slam two batters later to give the Dock Spiders a 12-0 lead.
The Dock Spiders then gave the ball to David Hagaman (West Virginia) in relief, who carried the combined no-hitter into the ninth, with six strikeouts. Hagaman (2-3) earned the win while Aaron Heger (0-2, Augustana) took the loss.
In the seventh, the Dock Spiders would score two on an error and a wild pitch to make it 14-0 before Tichy launched the second Dock Spiders grand slam of the night to tie the Northwoods League single-season runs record at 475. An inning later, Andrew Sojka (CSUN) brought home the record-breaking run with a fielder’s choice to make it 19-0.
Hagaman came out for the top of the ninth inning three outs away from a combined no-hitter, but Tristian Garcia (Western Kentucky) lined a single up the middle on the first pitch of the inning to break up the attempt. The Rockers would tally four in the ninth, but Jarrett Kenyon (South Suburban) closed the door on the Dock Spiders win.
The Dock Spiders return to action tomorrow on the road against the Wausau Woodchucks to start a four-game road trip. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Athletic Park.
PHOTO VIA A FLASH OF SUNSHINE PHOTOGRAPHY