LA CROSSE, WI – The La Crosse Loggers won their fourth consecutive ballgame in front of 1,645 fans at Copeland Park on Thursday when they topped the visiting Willmar Stingers by a final score of 7-1.
The Lumbermen got on the board first when they plated two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Aidan Sweatt (North Florida) doubled home Brandon Fields (South Carolina) who singled earlier in the frame. Just one batter later, Michael Dixon (San Diego) drove home Julian Brock (Lousiana-Lafayette) with a sacrifice fly to put the home team up 2-0.
La Crosse would put up another tally in the third inning when Seth Stroh (Wichita State) reached via an infield single and an errant throw allowed Christian Dicochea (Washington) to come around and score putting the Loggers up 3-0.
Loggers starter Jacob Ferris (Louisville) cruised through six shutout innings of work, needing only 74 pitches to limit Willmar to just five hits without surrendering a free pass and striking out five to earn the victory.
The hosts would add one more run in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead before Willmar got on the board with a run of their own in the top of the eighth but the Loggers answered right back with three more runs in the bottom half, powered by an Sweatt two-run home run, to put the game out of reach.
Sweatt tallied a three-hit night with a double, home run and two RBI’s. Three Loggers relievers would keep the Stingers at bay after Ferris departed as Emmett Olson (Nebraska), Carlo Lopicollo (Cal-Poly) and Marius Balandis (St. Louis) all tossed one quality inning.
With the win, the Loggers improved to 10-7 overall and the loss dropped Willmar to 8-9. The same two teams will meet again on Friday back at The Lumberyard for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. Cole Colleran (San Diego) will get the ball for La Crosse while Dennis Boatman (Sacramento City) takes the mound for Willmar.
