Wisconsin Rapids, WI – The Chinooks bounced back in a 7-1 win over the Rafters on Wednesday after falling the previous night. 

In what started with a pitching duel between the Chinooks (5-3) and the Rafters (7-2) both teams were held scoreless until the Chinooks started the scoring in the fourth inning. 

Eric Chalus (4-0, 1.89 ERA) got the start on the mound for the Chinooks, pitching six innings. In his six innings, Chalus recorded seven strikeouts and allowed no runs on three hits. Chalus is one of the four players from the Chinooks that were selected to play in the Northwoods League All-Star game next week. 

Jack Firestone hit his fifth home run of the season in the fourth inning to give the Chinooks a 2-0 lead after Matthew Deprey led off with a walk. 

The Chinooks struggled against the Rafter’s starting pitcher. The Chinooks were able to make contact at the plate but struggled to hit the gaps as they left a total of eight runners on base. 

Grant Manning (1-0, 1.86 ERA) got the start on the mound for the Rafters. Manning pitched three innings and had a total of three strikeouts, allowing no runs on one hit. 

The Rafters continued to struggle at the plate against Chalus. The Rafters were able to find a runner aboard in several innings but lacked the hits to bring runners around as they left nine runners stranded. 

In the top of the seventh inning the Chinooks’ struggles disappeared as they added three runs to take a 5-0 lead. Lakeshore’s three runs came when Tony Livermore scored on a wild pitch, Josh Johnson and Stephen Hrusitch scored off a base hit to center field by Deprey. 

Lakeshore’s hope for a shutout came to a close in the bottom of the seventh when the Rafters scored their first run off a McKinley Erves RBI walk. Colin Daily (0-1, 4.91 ERA) came into pitch for the Chinooks in the seventh inning. After bases were loaded and the tying run was up to bat, Daily got the Chinooks out of the inning leaving the runners stranded and the Chinooks lead intact.

The Chinooks took a 7-1 lead in the top of the eighth inning when Johnson doubled to center field, scoring Peyton Sanderson and Marcus Cline who had a single to left field. 

The Rafters continued to struggle at the plate in the eighth inning when Luke Schafer (0-1, 11.40 ERA) came in to pitch for the Chinooks. Schafer made his tenth appearance of the season striking out four batters and holding the Rafters hitless in the final two innings. 

The Chinooks are back at home tomorrow night as they take on the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders at Moonlight Graham Field at Kapco Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.