Rochester, Minn. – RJ Hamilton hit the first pitch of the game out of the ballpark and the La Crosse Loggers never stopped hitting from there en route to a 14-5 victory over the host Rochester Honkers in front of 1,506 onlookers at historic Mayo Field on Friday night.<\/p>\n
La Crosse would put up a 3-spot in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead thanks to doubles by Zach Wadas (Loyola Marymount), Eddie Peters (Xavier) and Hamilton along with singles from Max Kalk (Ball State) and Mateo Gray (Central Florida).<\/p>\n
Rochester would cut the score to 4-2 when they plated two more runs in the bottom of the third inning off of Loggers starter Ashton Michek (Augustana), but that’s all they would get off of the junior lefty as he would go on to earn the victory after eventually tossing five innings of two-run baseball to improve to 3-1 on the summer.<\/p>\n
The onslaught would continue in the fourth and fifth innings with La Crosse scoring three times in the fourth followed by four more in the fifth.\u00a0 Four different players double in the fourth, including Hamilton, Brayden Jefferis (Michigan), Gray and Eli Small (Kentucky).\u00a0 \u00a0Small would double again in the fifth to be one of six Loggers to record a hit in the four-run fifth inning.<\/p>\n
Beck Sullivan (New Mexico) would come on in relief of Michek and toss three innings, allowing three runs while striking out two.\u00a0 Michael Murphy (Xavier) would pitch a shutout ninth inning, striking out two.<\/p>\n
On the night, the Logger offense produced 24 hits led by Gray, who tallied five safeties, Jefferis with four and Hamilton and Kalk with three apiece.\u00a0 Every Logger that appeared in the game collected at least one hit.<\/p>\n
With the win, coupled with a Waterloo loss to Thunder Bay, the Loggers moved into sole possession of first place in the Great Plains Eastern Division with a 19-7 record.\u00a0 The Lumbermen will now return home for a weekend series against the Willmar Stingers.\u00a0 Gates open on Saturday night at the friendly confines of Copeland Park at 5:30 p.m. with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 pm.<\/p>\n