The Lakeshore Chinooks showed exactly why they own the Northwoods League best record Saturday night as they beat the La Crosse Loggers by a final score of 12-4 in front 5,677 fans, the largest crowd of the season at Copeland Park.
Chinooks starter, Evan Kruczynski (East Carolina), dazzled and continued to be a Loggers killer on the season. The lefty went seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits, while striking out three and not allowing a walk. Against La Crosse on the season, Kruczynski is 2-0 and has allowed just three runs in 19.1 innings.
La Crosse starter, Kevin Roy (Columbia), lasted just two innings while allowing five runs. Most of Chinooks damaged to Roy came in the second inning when right fielder Brett Siddall (Canisius), launched a grand slam to right field.
Reliever Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) came in to eat up innings, but ran out of gas allowing seven runs in the sixth inning.
The Loggers finally struck in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Jack Meggs (Washington) would single home Jerrod Bravo (Sacramento City CC). Later in the inning Ryne Birk (Texas A&M) would double home Aaron Knapp (Cal), and Meggs. Nash Knight (Dallas Baptist) would later draw a bases loaded walk, but the rally wasn't enough as the Chinooks would end up closing out the game for the victory.
La Crosse was actually 0-2 on the day, as before the originally scheduled game, La Crosse and Lakeshore finished off an extra innings suspended game from July 11th. Continuing the game in a 4-4 tie in the thirteenth inning, Connor McKay (Kansas) would single home Jake Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) to give the Chinooks the 5-4 victory.
The two team will conclude their series Sunday evening from Copeland Park. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05.