Mequon, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks defeated the Battle Creek Bombers on Sunday by a score of 4-3. The Chinooks won in similar fashion on Monday, taking an early lead, later making things interesting but still winning, this time by a score of 5-3, to sweep the series.
The Chinooks scored four runs in the first inning on Sunday, and they jumped out early again on Monday. Kyle Fiala (Notre Dame) singled with one out in the first, and Lucas Raley (Lake Erie College) hit a base knock of his own to put two on. Fiala would later score the first run of the game on a Doug Kraeger (Richmond) groundout. The Chinooks scored their second run of the inning thanks to Zarley Zalewski (Kent State), who brought in Raley with a double.
The team added another run in the second. After the first two batters got out, David Edson (USC) walked to put a runner on. Edson proceeded to steal second, and the Chinooks completed the two-out rally when Anthony Massicci (Canisuis) brought in Edson with a single.
Zac Lowther (Xavier) got the start for the Chinooks, and while he has been inconsistent at times this season, he delivered a great outing for his team. He threw five scoreless inning, scattering five hits while striking out three. The only time he was really in trouble came in the third, when he walked two batters to put two on with one out. However, he induced a double play ball to get out of the inning. He faced a smaller jam in the fourth when he gave up two straight singles with two outs, but once again he escaped unscathed.
The next reliever that the Chinooks used was Joe Stoll (Ohio State). He had a great outing as well, firing two shutout innings without giving up a hit. Stoll also struck out four as he continues to be a key cog out of the bullpen for manager Eddy Morgan.
The Chinooks added their fourth run of the game in the top of the seventh. Fiala was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and a single from Raley gave the club runners on first and second with no outs. After both advanced on a wild pitch, Fiala was plated when Kraeger grounded into a fielder's choice. The team gave up a shot for more, however, as they loaded the bases with no outs but could not bring in any more runs.
The Bombers finally scored their first runs of the game in the eighth as they jumped on Chinooks reliever Jake Tuttle (UW-Milwaukee). Tuttle, who has been great this year for his club, gave up three runs on three hits in the inning to make it a 4-3 ballgame.
The Chinooks did add an insurance run in the top of the ninth. After Kraeger began the inning with a double, he was pinch ran for by Drake Parker (Vanderbilt). Parker then came around to score on a Zalewski single.
The Bombers had one last chance in the bottom of the ninth, but Andrew Shaps (Arizona State) shut them down to earn the save. He gave up two hits in the frame but utilized two strikeouts to ensure he locked things down.
The Chinooks now will travel to Kenosha to take on the Kingfish on Tuesday.
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 (WSH) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WSH), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com.
