Kenosha, WI – After your Lakeshore Chinooks took the series over the Kalamazoo Growlers on Sunday with two walk off wins, they had a quick turn around time as they took on the Kenosha Kingfish Monday afternoon for game one of a away-home doubleheader. After combination of strong hitting and solid pitching, the Chinooks secured a 5-2 win over the Kingfish.
On the mound for the Chinooks was lefty pitcher Nick Lackney (Minnesota) who made his first start on the year for the ball club. Lackney came into the game with a 3.60 ERA and 17 strikeouts in his 20 innings of work.
The Kingfish got an early jump on the Chinooks in the bottom of the first after Lackney gave up back-to-back walks to Blake Reese (Florida) and Rob Henry (Brown University). Both base runners later advanced to second and third on stolen bases. A wild pitch followed which allowed Reese to score and gave the Kingfish an early 1-0 lead.
Adding to the Kingfish lead in the bottom of the second was Mason Fishback (New Mexico State) who homered to left and made it 2-0 Kingfish.
The Kingfish sent Adam Dressler (Purdue University) to the mound who made his third start of the season and made his second appearance against the Chinooks. Dressler came into the game with a 5.15 ERA in his 36.2 innings pitched.
It did not take the Chinooks long to come back. In the top of the third, Zac Taylor (Houston) roped a two out single and stole second which brought up Matt Reardon (Florida Gulf Coast) who ripped an RBI triple down the right field line and made it 2-1 Kingfish. Joe Duncan (Eastern Illinois) followed with an RBI single that scored Reardon and tied the game up at 2 a piece.
The hot bats continued for the Chinooks in the top of the sixth as Reardon led off with a single and James Bleming (Lehigh) reached first after getting hit by a pitch. Matt Johnson (South Dakota State) stepped up to the plate and cleared the bases after he bombed a homer to deep right field and gave the Chinooks a solid 5-2 lead. Johnson is now on a two game home run streak.
After going 7 innings, Lackney would be taken out after giving up 2 runs, 4 hits and racked up 4 strikeouts. Liam Jenkins (Arizona State) replaced Lackney on the mound in the bottom of the eighth. Jenkins came into the game with a 4.90 ERA and 14 strikeouts in his 14.2 innings pitched. This was Jenkins second appearance against the Kingfish.
With two outs the Chinooks kept the bats alive after Cole McDevitt (Minnesota) singled and Taylor drew a walk. Reardon would get his third hit of the day after he smacked an RBI single to increase the Chinooks lead to 6-2.
Jenkins took the mound for the bottom of the ninth where he held the Kingfish scoreless and helped secure the win for the Chinooks. Lackney would earn the win, Jenkins earned the save and Reardon would go an impressive 3-5 at the plate.
The Chinooks will return home tonight at 6:35 to take on the Kingfish for game two of the doubleheader where they look to get the sweep.
The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods 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 150 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 (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visithttp://northwoodsleague.com/lakeshore-chinooks or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the Chinooks as your favorite team.
