Mequon, WI- In the final regular season home game of the year for the Lakeshore Chinooks (19-16), the Chinooks fell to the Battle Creek Bombers, 5-4.
This game featured a good old-fashioned pitcher’s duel, with Luke Sommerfeld (Saint Louis) and Max Swan matching each other through seven innings.
Lakeshore’s Luke Sommerfeld was masterful, tossing seven shutout innings, surrendering just two hits and three walks while punching out nine.
Battle Creek’s Max Swan was equally effective, allowing one run on eight hits over seven innings, while not walking or striking out a batter.
Swan’s only mistake came in the seventh inning, as the Chinooks cracked the scoreless tie. Lakeshore had runners on the corners with one out, with Drake Lubin (Eastern Michigan) hitting a groundball to the shortstop that should’ve ended the inning.
The Bombers got the force-out at second base, but a poor throw to the first baseman went to the Lakeshore dugout and allowed Tim DalPorto (Kent State) to score. If Battle Creek had successfully turned the double play, the game would’ve remained tied, but a costly error gave the Chinooks a 1-0 lead.
With Luke Sommerfeld out of the game for Lakeshore, Battle Creek fully took advantage in the top of the 8th. Nick Campe (Olivet Nazarene) came on in relief of Sommerfeld and couldn’t record an out. The next man out of the Lakeshore bullpen was Joe Heineman (Baylor), and he also had some struggles.
The Bombers were able to load up the bases against Heineman, and Nick Walker smacked a 2-run single to give Battle Creek its first lead of the game. Next man up was Nehwon Norkeh, who doubled home two more runs, and the Bombers suddenly led by three. Storm Joop later singled home Norkeh, and the Bombers finished the top of the 8th up 5-1.
Daniel DeSimone (Oklahoma State) wasn’t satisfied with a four-run deficit, as he took advantage of a mistake pitch from the new man out of the Battle Creek bullpen. Alec Berry came out of the bullpen in relief of Max Swan, and surrendered a three-run homer to DeSimone. The home run from DeSimone was his sixth of the season, and pulled the Chinooks within a run.
The Chinooks threatened in the bottom of the 9th with the first two batters reaching, but weren’t able to get on the board. Alec Berry struck out Joe Duncan (Eastern Illinois) to end the game, as the Bombers came out on top, 5-4.
Although the Chinooks dropped their final regular season home game, there was certainly a positive note in this one. In his last start of the summer, Luke Sommerfeld was simply amazing.
“It all started with the fastball command. I was able to hit the corners when I wanted to. Based off that fastball command, all the breaking stuff looked better,” said Sommerfeld.
Sommerfeld was a little caught off guard when being named tonight’s starter, but panned out in the end. “Coach Eddy came up to me and told me I was gonna start tonight,” said Sommerfeld. “I took it with pride and as a privilege and tried to do what I could and it ended up being right.”
Most importantly were the fans in this game. Not only were the fans very supportive tonight, but have been throughout the entire season. “The fans were great this season. They’re great every year,” said Sommerfeld.
“This is my second summer here. They were great last year and they were great this year and I know they’ll be great in further years. Tonight was a big crowd and it was just fun tonight.”
“I had a blast pitching in front of them all year. Through the highs and lows, they’re always there for you. They’ll stick with you. They’re the best fans in the Northwoods right now, and I couldn’t thank them enough.”
The Lakeshore Chinooks (19-16) will hit the road as Lakeshore faces the division-leading Wisconsin Rapids Rafters for a two-game series. The Chinooks find themselves right in the thick of a playoff race, so these games are must-win games for the Nooks.
Once again, thank you to all our fans; you’re truly the best in the Northwoods League.
The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 180 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Chinooks as your favorite team.
