Mequon, Wisconsin – The Lakeshore Chinooks held off a late Madison Mallard comeback to earn a gritty 4-3 victory thanks to another great performance from Tommy Lamb.
After losing five straight to the Mallards, Lakeshore entered Thursday night’s game hungry to finish their season series with Madison on a high note. The Wisconsin Woodchucks entered Thursday night at the top of the Great Lakes West division, just one game ahead of the Mallards. Playing spoiler, the Chinooks victory over the Mallards helped the Woodchucks maintain their one game lead over the Mallards.
Making his twelfth start of the season, Lamb toed the rubber for his final time in the 2021 summer. Once again, Lamb put on a show at Kapco Park. Lamb threw seven innings allowing just four hits and two earned runs. The southpaw punched out four Mallard hitters on his way to earning his third win of the summer (3-4).
Recently announcing his decision to transfer from Oklahoma University to Creighton University, Lamb’s aspirations to become a rotation starting pitcher came to fruition this summer. In his last seven starts as a Chinook, Lamb threw over six innings, allowing just seven combined earned runs in those seven games.
“This was a huge summer for Tommy,” Field manager Travis Akre said. “To get reps and get a lot of innings under his belt, I think he’s leaving here with a lot of confidence. It’s going to pay off big for him at Creighton.”
To start Thursday night’s game, Lamb struggled to find command, allowing two hits and walking a batter as well, relinquishing an early run.
Similar to many of his starts this season, Lamb’s struggles came early and never returned. After facing six hitters in the top of the first inning, the 6’0” hurler retired the next 15 Mallard hitters he faced.
Unlike multiple starts of his this season, Lamb received run support early and even pitched with a lead.
In the bottom of the second inning, two walks and two hits squared the game up at 1-1 thanks to a two out single from Dylan Johnson.
The Lakeshore offensive barrage continued in the third and fourth innings, scoring three unanswered runs and taking an early 4-1 lead.
Three straight Chinook players reached base to leadoff the third inning. With catcher Josh Glenn standing just 90 feet from home plate, Dyland Pardoe stepped to the plate with a chance to capitalize.
Madison’s starting pitcher Ryan O’hara conceded a wild pitch in the fourth pitch he threw to Pardoe, easily scoring Glenn. Now with two runners in scoring position once again, Pardoe knocked in another Chinook runner on a sacrifice fly, increasing the lead to two.
In the bottom of the fourth, Connor Kimple blasted a ball to deep right center field, easily scoring Evan Rice from first. The hustling Kimple found himself at third with an RBI triple, giving the Chinooks a 4-1 lead.
Lifting Lamb in the eighth inning, Ryan Jungbauer struggled to keep the Mallards off the bases. The right handed junior conceded five walks in 1 and ⅔ innings pitched, allowing two Mallard runners to score.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Akre called on Jim Jarecki to close the door on the knocking Mallards. Jarecki needed just three pitches to save the day for the Chinooks and send the Mallards packing. Earning the save for his performance, Jarecki’s heroics ultimately were a breath of fresh air for Lakeshore, who had not beaten the Mallards in five straight games.
“I’m happy to go to war with any of these guys who suit up and compete with us in these next two days,” Akre said. “I’m personally excited about it and I said let’s just go and strap it up for these next two days and let’s give it one more last ride together.”
Lakeshore makes their final road trip of the season Friday night, driving up to Green Bay, Wisconsin to take on the Booyah. Friday night’s ball game is the first of a two-game series, before returning to Kapco Park for their final game of the season. First pitch for both games is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
