Mequon, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks have had a rough stretch of baseball lately. Entering Friday, they had lost five straight games, and it has not helped that numerous doubleheaders have caused the Chinooks to play more games, 14, than any other Northwoods League team in the second half of the season. The team looked to turn around their fortunes on Friday, and they were able to do just that, defeating the La Crosse Loggers 3-2. 

The Chinooks took an early lead thanks to two runs in the bottom of the first. Jake Romano (Miami-Ohio), occupying the leadoff spot for Lakeshore, began the inning with a single. He showcased just why he was batting first in manager Eddy Morgan's lineup, proceeding to steal second and advance to third on a passed ball. Zarley Zalewski (Kent State) hit a ball to Loggers shortstop Mason McCoy (Illinois Central), who was playing in to try to stop Romano from scoring. It did not matter, though, as Romano scored on a bang-bang play at home. 

The team added another run in the inning when Zalewski, who reached on the fielder's choice, was plated by a Greg Deichmann (Louisiana State) double. They had a chance for more with the bases loaded and two outs but ultimately two was what they would settle for. 

Lake Bachar (UW-Whitewater) was the starter for the Chinooks, using his usual heavy dosage of his mid-upper 80s fastball but mixing in a few more curveballs than we have seen in the past. He threw 8.0 innings, giving up two runs, one earned. Bachar gave up just five hits in his outing while walking two and striking out eight. 

The first run that he allowed came in the top of the second, but that one was unearned. Chris Baker (Washington) got aboard on an error by first baseman Doug Kraeger (Richmond), and he later reached home when Ronnie Gideon (Texas A&M) smacked a base hit. The second run that was given up by Bachar was in the fourth, when Brock Lundquist (Long Beach State) hit a solo home run over the right field fence to make it a 2-2 game.

"I stayed in the attack mode and tried to keep the momentum in our hands." said Bachar of what he was thinking after giving up the game-tying home run. "I knew by the end we would have enough to get the win"

2-2 was where the score would hold all the way until the bottom of the eighth inning, when the Chinooks scored a run to break the tie. Anthony Massicci (Canisius) walked with one out in the inning, and he advanced to second on a Zalewski single. Massicci came around to score on a Doug Kraeger (Richmond) single, but it was on an odd play.

Massicci was clearly tagged before reaching the plate and was originally ruled out by home plate umpire John Boccio. However, it appeared that Loggers catcher Alex Merritt (North Florida) blocked the plate before receiving the ball, impeding Massicci's slide. After Morgan protested the play and the umpires convened, Merritt was called for obstruction and Massicci was ruled safe, giving the Chinooks took a 3-2 lead. 

Andrew Shaps (Arizona State) came on in the ninth to close out the game. He did his job, working around a leadoff single to earn the save, his second of the season. 

"[This win] was important," said Bachar, "You can definitely tell the change in all the attitudes among our players."

The Chinooks and Loggers will face off again on Saturday, but this time it will be in La Crosse. After Lakeshore wraps up that two-game series, they return home to take on the Eau Claire Express on Monday.

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.