FOND DU LAC, Wis. – After finishing the first half sub-.500, the Kenosha Kingfish (14-21) got off on the right foot winning 8-2 over the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (21-15).
The offense was productive early and often scoring five runs in the first three innings of the ballgame. The production was plenty for starter Joe Vranesic (Wabash Valley) who made his third start with the team Wednesday.
Vranesic gave up only four hits over six innings allowing no runs and striking out four. The start for Vranesic was his longest as a Kingfish, surpassing his previous high of 4.2 innings. Vranesic was given the win, improving his record to 1-2.
In the first inning at the plate for Kenosha, Mike Madej (NW Florida State) and Jack Yalowitz (Illinois) got on base with a walk and error respectively. Will Wagner (Liberty) singled to load the bases for Ben Troike (Illinois) at the plate. Troike came through in the clutch driving in Madej with an RBI single. Jack Weiller (Virginia) then followed that up with a sacrifice fly to score Yalowitz and give Kenosha two in the first.
In the second, Cade Cabbiness (Oklahoma State) led off the inning with a triple high off of the centerfield wall. Scott Dubrule (Jacksonville) quickly brought him home with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0 Kenosha.
Weiller and Bryce Carter (Stanford) got the Kingfish going in the third both reaching base with a single. Connor Doyle (San Diego) grounded out to bring home Weiller and Cabbiness singled home Carter to extend the Kenosha lead to five.
Keanu Mendez (Concordia-St. Paul) relieved Vranesic and pitched two perfect innings to keep the shutout going. The Kingfish added three insurance runs in the seventh when Troike doubled home Yalowitz and Wagner. Troike later scored on a balk by the pitcher Connor Cook. Troike ended the day 2-for-4 with three RBI.
The Kingfish continue their short road trip in Fond du Lac Thursday with a 6:35 p.m. game against the Dock Spiders. Cale Cuddie (UW-Stevens Point) is the probable starter for Kenosha. The radio broadcast of the game can be streamed online for free on the Kenosha Kingfish Radio Network on Ustream.
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The Kenosha Kingfish are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, more than 185 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.KingfishBaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Kingfish as your favorite team.
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