Mequon, WI – Fog has affected the Lakeshore Chinooks each of the last three days, including Monday's contest against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. This time it did not end the game in and of itself, but after two fog delays the Chinooks and Rafters could not finish the full nine innings before 11:00, when Mequon city ordinances say play must conclude. The teams got through eight innings, but with the Chinooks down 11-7, the game was suspended. It will be resumed on Tuesday, June 16th at 5:15 p.m., with the teams squaring off at 6:35 for their already-scheduled game.

The Rafters took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Kody Hessemer (Baylor) was the starter for the Chinooks, giving up two runs on two hits while throwing 2.0 innings. A 20-minute delay ensued after the top of the second inning, and manager Eddy Morgan decided to turn to his bullpen rather than run Hessemer back out. However, reliever John Schreiber (Kent State) threw just five pitches without getting through a batter before the fog came back and another delay ensued.

Another 20 minutes passed, and then the fog finally cleared for good. Schreiber came back out to pitch, and he gave the Chinooks two scoreless innings. He did not allow a hit in his outing and issued just one walk.

Chandler Dale (Louisville) was brought on for the fifth, but he did not see similar success. After Jake Sandlin (Georgia College) reached on a double, Mitchell McGeein (Eastern Michigan) made him pay, slapping a two-run home run well over the left field fence. Dale let up his third run of the inning on a Max Widmar (Parkland College) RBI single, making the score 5-0. He managed just one out before being pulled in favor of Nick Brown (Missouri State) with the bases loaded and was ultimately charged with six runs after Brown allowed all three inherited runners to score before escaping the inning. He would end up throwing 2.0 innings while not being charged with a run and striking out five.

Rustin Sveum (Dixie State) came on in relief of Brown in the seventh. He ended up throwing 1.0 innings while giving up three runs. Jake Tuttle (UW-Milwaukee) then came on and got the final two outs of the eighth inning. 

The Chinooks did not get much off of Rafters starter Brian Russell (College of State Island), but they finally got on the board against him in the top of the sixth inning. Kyle Fiala (Notre Dame) smacked a one-out triple, and he came around to score on an RBI groundout from Zarley Zalewski (Kent State). The team threatened for more, loading the bases with one out and again with two outs, but ultimately they could not get more than the one run. Russell came out of the game having thrown six innings and given up just the single run.

The team came back to score two more runs in the bottom of the seventh. They loaded the bases with no outs and later plated the first run of the inning when Fiala grounded into a fielder's choice. They scored again when Lucas Raley (Lake Erie College) drove in his team-leading 16th RBI of the season with a single. The Chinooks came back to score four more runs in the eighth on RBI singles from Anthony Massicci (Canisius), Jake Romano (Miami-Ohio) and Raley. Ultimately that was all the scoring they would have for the night, leaving the game 11-7 after the eighth before play was prematurely ended.

After the completion of this game and the already-scheduled game on Tuesday, the Chinooks will go on the road to take on the Wisconsin Woodchucks on Wednesday, June 17th and Thursday, June 18th. 

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 draws 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 (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS, Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (TB).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com.