By Deann Davidson

Mequon, WI – The Chinooks faced the Battle Creek Bombers in the second game of the series after losing the first with a final score of 5-4. The Chinooks’ offense erupted and had a home run derby of their own tonight, defeating Battle Creek 12-3.

Jake Pagliarini took the mound for Lakeshore, coming into the game with a 10.80 ERA in 3 and 1/3 innings played. James Reilly pitched opposite him with a 12.27 ERA in 3 and 1/3 innings.

After neither team was able to take advantage of a walk in the first inning, Lakeshore struck first. Zach Clayton worked a leadoff walk and then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error to bring the first run of the game within 90 feet. Mike Trautwein hit it to deep centerfield for an sacrifice fly and the Chinooks had a 1-0 lead over Battle Creek.

The Bombers answered in the third inning. With one out, Michael Morrissette was hit by a pitch and Kelby Weyler followed with a comebacker that made Pagliarini lose his glove while trying to make the play and both runners were safe. The bases were loaded after another infield single and John Malcolm lined an RBI-single to right field and Battle Creek tied the game at 1. Kolby Johnson came to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Bombers a 2-1 lead over Lakeshore. The Chinooks didn’t let the lead last long, putting up another run in the third after hits by Cole Barr and Daryl Myers, followed by a walk to Nathan Aide to load the bases. Jake Thompson hit into a fielder’s choice, but Barr scored to tie the game at two a piece.

With one out in the top of the fourth, Pagliarini issued back-to-back-to-back walks, loaded the bases. Weyler came to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly to left and scored a run to give the Bombers the lead once again. In the bottom of the fourth, Pablo Arevalo relieved Reilly and gave up a leadoff double to Trautwein. Troy Black drove in the run with a flyout to center and the game was tied once again.

Despite having the leadoff runner reach, Battle Creek was unable to score in the fifth and the Chinooks took advantage. Barr stepped up to the plate and drove in a run with a leadoff homer and it was a 4-3 ball game. Lakeshore’s defense prevented the Bombers from scoring and in the sixth. With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Griffin Doersching worked a walk. A two-out single from David Dunn gave the Chinooks two runners on base and Barr stepped into the box and hit three-run bomb, his second home run of the night, to give Lakeshore a 7-3 lead over Battle Creek.

In the seventh, the Chinooks tacked onto their lead by adding three more runs. Mitchell Lee came in to relieve Pablo Arevalo and gave up a leadoff single to Aide who advanced to second on a ground out but Gunnar Hellstrom. Aide advanced to third on a wild pitch. Clayton worked a walk and then stole second with Trautwein batting. Aide scored on a throwing error by the catcher and Clayton advanced to third. Clayton crossed the plate on another wild pitch and Doersching earned a walk. Doersching advanced on a wild pitch with Troy Black batting and then scores on an RBI-single from Black to give the Chinooks a seven-run lead over the Bombers.

Battle Creek went down in order in the eighth and the Chinooks capitalized. Myers hit a leadoff double to the right field wall and Aide came up to bat and blasted a two-run homer to make it 12-3. The Bombers were able to come back and the Chinooks sealed the win by taking down Battle Creek in order in the top of the ninth.

Barr went 3-4 on the night with 4 RBIs and Aide had strong performance going 2-3 with two RBIs. This win brings the Chinooks to 2-4 in the second half of the season. Tomorrow they travel to Athletic Park to face the Wisconsin Woodchucks.

The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 200 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR).  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.