KENOSHA, Wis. – The Kenosha Kingfish (29-24, 7-11) put an end to a four-game skid on Tuesday, bringing back the offense in a big way and defeating the Wisconsin Woodchucks 10-5. The 10 runs Kenosha scored were more than they’d scored over their last five games combined.
Neither team struggled to find scoring chances in this game, and started with the Woodchucks drawing three walks in the top of the first inning to help themselves score the game’s first run without the benefit of a base hit. The Kingfish were quick to respond with two runs in the bottom of the first inning that scored on a wild pitch and an error, gaining their first lead of the game.
That set off a back-and-forth struggle that lasted throughout the early innings, with Wisconsin tying the game in the top of the second and the Kingfish regaining the lead with a single run on an RBI single by center fielder Connor Doyle (University of San Diego). In the fourth inning, the Woodchucks briefly jumped back in front with a 2-run triple by first baseman Hunter Coleman (Texas A&M), but Kenosha scored two more runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to make it a 5-4 game.
The biggest blow of the game came in the fifth inning, when second baseman Mike Madej (Purdue) stepped to the plate with two on and one out and smoked a 3-run homer to left field to push Kenosha’s lead to 8-4. Madej drove in another run in the sixth with a bases-loaded walk, while right fielder Jack Yalowitz (Illinois) drove in the Kingfish’s final run with an RBI single in the eighth.
Davis Schwab (Johnson CC) got the win out of the bullpen in this game, pitching four innings of two-run ball and striking out four while walking two. Jonathon Maday (University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh) made his Kingfish debut with two innings of one-run relief work out of the bullpen, with Billy McKay (Florida) finishing things with a scoreless ninth.
Shortstop Ben Troike (Illinois) was stellar at the plate and on the bases, reaching four times on a 2-for-3 night that included a walk, a hit-by-pitch and three stolen bases. Madej and Yalowitz each collected two hits as well, as did left fielder Nick Kanavas (Kent State) in his first game of the summer.
First baseman Derek Bangert (Bradley) walked twice in this game to extend his on-base streak to 50 games.
The Kingfish will be back in action on Wednesday against Lakeshore, when the two meet at Historic Simmons Field for a 12:05p.m. start time.
