WATERLOO, IOWA – The La Crosse Loggers jumped out to an early 8-0 lead at Riverfront Stadium on Thursday night and then hung on to defeat the host Waterloo Bucks by a final of 8-6 to win their fourth consecutive game.
The Lumbermen wasted no time getting to work as they put up three runs in the first. After Bryce Blaum (Texas A & M) walked, Harrison Freed (Butler) added to his team-leading RBI total by knocking in Blaum with a RBI double. Two batters later Korey Lee’s (Cal) ground out would score Freed before Austin Murr (DMACC) would single in Mike Rothenberg (Duke) to give La Crosse a 3-0 advantage.
La Crosse would strike again in the third when Lee’s sacrifice fly to centerfield plated Freed, who singled to open the frame, thus giving the Loggers a 4-0 lead.
One inning later, Freed would single again to score Steve Mann (Duke) and then Lee’s double would drive in both Freed and Rothenberg to put La Crosse up by eight.
Loggers starter Lalo Porras (Lewis-Clark) cruised threw six innings, allowing just one run on five hits while walking four and striking out four to earn his team-leading fifth victory of the summer.
The Lumbermen tallied ten hits on the night lead be Freed’s three hit night. The reigning NWL All-Star also scored three times and drove in a pair. Murr also collected three hits and drove in a run while Lee drove in a team-high four runs on the night.
The same two teams will meet again on Friday night back at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo for a 6:35 p.m. start. Air time on the Logger Nation Station, the Eagle 102.7 FM, will commence at 6:00 p.m.
