Kenosha, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks took a rough defeat at the hands of the Kenosha Kingfish on Thursday, dropping the contest by a score of 9-0. The club traveled to Kenosha on Friday with a chance at redemption, but despite a great effort by the offense, they fell short, dropping the game 10-8. 

The Chinooks offense got going early after being shut out by Kenosha on Thursday, scoring four runs in the first inning. With two outs and no runs having yet scored, a great nine-pitch at-bat by first baseman Kyle Wood (Purdue) resulted in a single that drove home the first run of the game. Jake Romano (Miami-Ohio) opened things up by smacking a two-RBI double that drove in Wood and Greg Deichmann (Louisiana State). He then came around to score the fourth run of the frame after a wild pitch and subsequent errant throw from the catcher.

The Kingfish did not let the early deficit get to their heads, however. Off of Chinooks starter Brian Keller (UW-Milwaukee), who was making his first appearance of the year, a single by Hunter Alexander (St. Johns River State) that was just out of reach of a diving Romano drove in Eric Filia (UCLA). The Kingfish came back in the bottom of the third to tie things after scoring three runs in part due to a two-run homer by Alexander. 

The Chinooks came right back to take the lead once again, scoring two more runs in the top of the fourth. This time it was Lucas Raley (Lake Erie College) coming through in the clutch with a two-RBI double to drive in Jake Kolasinski (UW-Parkside) and Drake Parker (Vanderbilt). 

The offense continued in the bottom of the fourth, though, with the Kingfish coming right back and scoring three more runs off of Keller. Nick Sergakis (Ohio State) led the way for his club in the frame, smacking a two-run home run to put his club back ahead by a score of 7-6. Reliever Sam Burum (Seton Hall) held the Kingfish at bay in the fifth, but back on in the six, he let up a pair of runs. Burum would up throwing four innings as the lone Chinooks reliever, letting up three runs in total. 

Down three runs, the Chinooks chipped away at the lead in the top of the eighth when Romano drove in his third run of the game with a single, scoring Wood. A sac fly from Raley in the ninth gave him his third RBI of the game, but ultimately the Chinooks' rally came up short. It certainly was not a bad offensive day, with both Romano and Raley having nice nights and Parker adding a four-hit performance as well. Despite that, Chinooks pitching could not get the job done.

The Chinooks will travel back home on Saturday to start a two-game set with the Green Bay Bullfrogs. The team will then conclude a four-game home stand with two games against the Madison Mallards.

The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website.  For more information, visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com.