FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (8-2) travel to Mequon to take on the Lakeshore Chinooks (2-8) in the first game of a two game series. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. Live coverage begins at 6:20 p.m. with the Dock Spiders Pregame Show on the Dock Spiders Radio Network.
TODAY’S STORYLINES
THE FIRST TRUE SERIES: The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are back at Kapco Park in Mequon, Wisconsin after beating the Lakeshore Chinooks 5-4 in a comeback win on Monday. The two game series marks the first true series year for the Dock Spiders. A series is defined as two consecutive games played at the same ballpark, which the Dock Spiders have yet to do before tonight. The Dock Spiders come into the series as winners of three of their last four, including a 7-1 win on Thursday night against the Green Bay Rockers. The Chinooks, meanwhile, split two games with the Madison Mallards, taking their second win of the year on Wednesday after a complete game shutout from Scott Rouse. Fond du Lac sits in second in the Great Lakes West Division, a game behind the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, while the Chinooks come into the series sixth in the division, seven games behind the Rafters.
ANOTHER ONE IN THE WIN COLUMN: The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders won the inaugural I-41 Showdown at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin 7-1 over the Green Bay Rockers on Thursday night. Starter David Hagaman set a career-high with eight strikeouts for over five shutout innings, while his Mountaineer teammate Grant Hussey tied his career-high with four RBI. The Dock Spiders used a run in the first, two in the fifth and three more in the seventh to take a 7-0 lead before the Rockers tallied a run with an out in the ninth to break up the shutout. Dock Spiders pitching tied their season-low with one walk allowed, and combined to strike out 12 Rockers, one shy of their season-high.
RUNS? NOT SO FAST: Since the third inning of Wednesday’s game against the Green Bay Rockers, the Dock Spiders pitching staff has allowed two runs over their last 14.1 innings. The staff has combined to strike out 18 batters over the span, including eight shutout innings in Thursday’s game against Green Bay. Over the two games against Green Bay, the Dock Spiders allowed seven runs, with five of the seven coming in the first three innings of Wednesday’s game.
RACKING UP THE HONORS: After David Hagaman’s eight strikeout performance on Thursday night, the West Virginia righty was named the June 9 Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night. Hagaman became the second Dock Spider to win a Northwoods League nightly award after Nick Mitchell was named the Player of the Night after a four-hit performance on Opening Day. Hagaman now leads the Dock Spiders with 15 strikeouts in nine innings after Thursday’s start.
MOUNTAINEER CONNECTION: Grant Hussey’s first two games as a Dock Spider has seen him tally four RBI along with two doubles. During Thursday’s game, he tallied the second four RBI game of the year for the Dock Spiderts, after Cole Messina tallied four against Green Bay on June 1.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCH-UP
RHP JOSH CULLIVER (FDL): The Nebraska native makes his first start since last summer with the State College Spikes in the MLB Draft League. Culliver was used as a reliever this spring with Minnesota, logging 20.1 innings over 21 appearances. Tonight, he’ll face Big 10 foes Caden Kaiser (Ohio State), Michael Seegers (Iowa) and Jack Firestone (Purdue).
RHP GEORGE KLASSEN (LAK): Culliver’s Minnesota teammate will make his first start of the year after going two innings on June 4 against Wisconsin Rapids. Klassen appeared in 11 games this spring for the Gophers with eight strikeouts.
