Mequon, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks played the La Crosse Loggers on Thursday and Friday at home, and the two teams traveled to La Crosse to square off on Saturday. The Chinooks snapped a five-game losing streak against the Loggers on Friday, but the team could not keep their fortune going in Saturday's contest, losing 8-4. 

The Chinooks scored first in the game, and it only took them one pitch to do it. That was because Anthony Massicci (Canisius) took the first pitch of the game from Loggers starter Graham Spraker (Quincy) over the fence for a solo home run. 

That lead did not last long, though, as La Crosse scored two runs in the bottom of the second. Facing Lakeshore starter Zac Lowther (Xavier), Alex Merritt (North Florida) and Ronnie Gideon (Texas A&M) smacked back-to-back singles to begin the inning. Both later came around to score on a Keith Skinner (North Florida) single. 

It did not take long for the Chinooks to react, however, as they tied the game up in the top of the third. Drake Parker (Vanderbilt), batting in the ninth spot in the order, led off the frame by drawing a walk. He later was plated by Zarley Zalewski (Kent State), who singled. 

The Loggers regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth behind a three-run inning. Both Ryan Kirby (San Diego) and Mason McCoy (Illinois Central College) had RBI singles, and Lowther also walked Will Savage (Columbia) with the bases loaded for the third run of the inning. That would be Lowther's final frame of the game as he was charged with five runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out seven.

The lead was narrowed in the fifth, when the Chinooks scored two to make it a 5-4 game. Massicci walked to begin the inning, and Lucas Raley (Lake Erie College) then homered, his 10th of the year. That long ball also allowed Raley to move into a tie for most home runs in the Northwoods League with Anthony Gonsolin of the Madison Mallards. 

Southpaw Connor Jones (Georgia) came on in relief of Lowther in the fifth inning, holding La Crosse scoreless. However, he ran into trouble in the sixth. Jones gave up two runs in the inning, both earned, to extend the Chinooks' deficit to three. 

Jack Landwehr (Illinois State) was brought on in the seventh inning but the bleeding kept going for Lakeshore. Landwehr gave up a run in the frame, this time when McCoy legged out an RBI infield single with two outs. That made it an 8-4 ballgame. Landwehr did stay on to throw a scoreless eighth inning, but the Chinooks could never mount a rally and the score held at 8-4. 

The Chinooks and Loggers play each other again on Sunday in La Crosse. Lakeshore then returns home on Monday for a game against the Eau Claire Express. 

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.