Mequon, WI – Lake Bachar and Lucas Raley have been key parts of the Lakeshore Chinooks squad this entire season, and the accolades keep coming in. After they participated in the All-Star game earlier in the season, both have also received much-deserved recognition as Northwoods League Post-Season All-Stars.
Bachar made his final start of the season on Saturday, tossing seven innings of two-run ball to cap off a great season. Just finishing up his freshman year at Division III UW-Whitewater this spring, Bachar showed that age and talent level were no issue at all. On the season, he posted a 2.46 ERA in 12 outings, 11 starts, spanning 65.2 innings. He struck out 63 batters, good for fifth-most in the league, while walking only 19 and giving up just 49 hits, all great marks.
The right-hander also appeared in two games filled with the best talent in the Northwoods League. He took part in the All-Star game in Wisconsin Rapids on July 21st, and he was named the winning pitcher after tossing a scoreless inning. Bachar was also one of eight Chinooks that played in the annual Major League Dreams Showcase on August 4th, where he fired a 1-2-3 inning while striking out every batter he faced.
Raley has not only been one of the Chinooks best hitters but also one of the best in the entire league. His 14 home runs on the year were just second in the entire Northwoods League to Albee Weiss of the Wisconsin Woodchucks. He led the league in RBIs with 55, and he showed some acumen on defense as well, leading right fielders with seven assists while making just two errors. Raley added a .314 average and 30 walks on the year while playing in 67 of 72 games for Lakeshore.
He joined Bachar in representing the South Division in the All-Star game. While he went 0 for 4, he did drive in one of three runs as the South squad defeated the North 3-1. He also participated in the Home Run Challenge prior to the All-Star game, hitting two home runs in his turn at the plate.
The pinnacle of Raley’s season came on July 4th. Playing against the Kalamazoo Growlers in the first game of a doubleheader, he became the first player in Northwoods League history to homer four times in one game. He also set a Chinooks record as his 80 hits were the most by a player in a single season in the four-year history of the Chinooks.
The Chinooks have had an up-and-down season, but these two guys have been a steady presence all year. Raley and Bachar have been impressive this year and should have exciting professional careers as well as they will both be eligible for the MLB Draft in 2016.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 21 year old summer collegiate 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), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com.
