LA CROSSE, WI – If you’ve spent any time around the Logger ballplayers since the start of the second half, you’ve probably noticed a popular saying among them. “Logs are hot” has been the statement by which the Lumbermen have stuck as they’ve been on fire so far in the second half of the season.
On Thursday night the Duluth Huskies came to Copeland Park to square off against the La Crosse Loggers. In the bottom of the second inning, it was the Loggers who struck the first blow. After an Ethan Frey walk and subsequent stolen base, Aidan Sweatt reached on an error to drive in Frey. Later in the inning, Troy LaNeve hit a single to right field to bring in Sweatt. After two, the score was 2-0 for La Crosse.
The Huskies snatched the lead in the top of the fourth with singles by Kasen Wells and Lucas Kelly to score three. That lead would not stick for long as Troy LaNeve took matters into his own hands with a two-run a Bluff Blast to right field making the score 4-3. However, like a good game of tennis, the ball bounced back and forth between the two teams. In the top of the fifth, Jared Mettam hit a sacrifice fly to center field to even the game at four runs each.
In the bottom of the sixth, Danny Neri continued his hot start by knocking a double with two men on to drive in one and put runners at second and third. Gable Mitchell and Mic Paul would then each hit singles to drive in two more. In the bottom of the seventh, Troy LaNeve would once again drive in a run with an RBI hit. LaNeve finished with three hits, one strikeout, one home run, and four RBI. The Loggers would score three more in the eighth via the wild pitch, walk, and single to set the game’s score at 11-5.
With the loss, the Huskies drop to 7-4 and remain in third place in the Great Plains East second half. With the win, the Loggers improve to 8-1, going 9-1 in their past ten ball games. What can I say? Logs are hot.
