LA CROSSE, WIS. – The Loggers beat the Duluth Huskies on Sunday evening to improve to an overall record of 30-24 and second half record of 13-6, just a half-game out of the lead in the North Division heading into the Northwoods League All-Star break. La Crosse beat Duluth by a score of 4-1 in front of 3,072 fans at the Lumberyard.
The Loggers jumped out to an early lead yet again thanks to a lead-off single from Braiden Ward (Washington) who promptly stole second, one of three stolen bases on the night putting him at 23 on the season. Ward came across to score the Loggers first run on an RBI single through the left side from Shane McGuire (San Diego).
La Crosse added a run in the fourth inning after back-to-back singles by Mike Rothenberg (Duke) and Korey Lee (Cal) put the Loggers in business to begin the frame. Rothenberg scored on a wild pitch later in the inning to make the score 2-0 after four.
After scoring a run in the sixth on an RBI fielder’s choice, Duluth threatened to take the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Loggers’ starting pitcher Hunter Davis (Duke) matched the performance of his Blue Devil teammate Bill Chillari a night ago, tossing 6.2 innings and surrendering just one run on four hits while striking out four. Davis exited with runners on second and third with two outs in the seventh, but lefty reliever Jon Meyerring (Miami-Ohio) struck out the league’s leading hitter Augie Isaacson to escape the jam with the Loggers up 2-1.
The Lumbermen added two late insurance runs as three Duluth errors resulted in a seventh inning run, before Jarron Silva (UCLA) led off the eighth with a solo blast to right field, his first of the season. Ryan Anderson (Nevada) entered with nobody out and a runner on base in the ninth inning, striking out two Huskies batters to secure the Loggers victory and his first save of the season. McGuire and Ward each collected three-hit performances and Bryce Blaum (Texas A&M) added two hits as part of the Loggers’ 12-hit night and 4-1 win.
Two players will represent La Crosse at the Northwoods League All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Shane McGuire – .337 batting average, .466 on-base percentage, 46 RBI – and Harrison Freed (Butler) – .274 batting average, 11 home runs, 42 RBI – will participate in both the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game at Homer Stryker Field. The Loggers will be back in action after the break for a two-game set in Eau Claire beginning at 6:35 PM CT on Thursday night.
