In a matchup against the top team in the Great Lakes West Division, the Lakeshore Chinooks (8-13) fell to the first place Green Bay Rockers (14-8) 5-1 Tuesday night at Capital Credit Union Park.  

The Rockers’ offense found its spark early in this matchup. Cooper Kelly started things off for Green Bay, hitting a leadoff double into the right field gap. A sacrifice fly moved Kelly over to third and Carlos Hernandez hit an infield single to push a run across, putting the Rockers ahead by one.  

Jack Holman kept the line moving as he doubled to right field to put runners on second and third. Lukas Schramm then grounded out to the right side of the field, allowing another run to score and extending Green Bay’s lead to 2-0.  

Green Bay plated another run in the bottom of the fourth. Lakeshore starter Ryan Sell (L, 1-2) hit Kendal Ewell with a pitch to start the inning and Ewell stole second to get into scoring position. Nainoa Cardinez then singled to center field to put runners on the corners. 

Sell walked the next batter to load up the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly hit by Cuyler Zukowski put the Rockers ahead 3-0 heading into the fifth inning.  

With Lakeshore unable to get on the board, Green Bay’s offense remained hot. With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Jack Holman hit a double to get into scoring position. Sell struck out the next batter but gave up a double that would allow a run to score, making it 4-0 in favor of the Rockers. 

That would be it for Sell as he gave up seven hits and four earned runs in 4.2 innings of work. Ben Whiteside came in to get the final out of the inning, but Lakeshore now trailed by four runs without a single run to its name.  

Green Bay continued to add to its lead in the bottom of the sixth. Blake Wilson hit a leadoff infield single and stole second base to put a runner in scoring position. Kelly then earned his second hit of the game by singling to right field, putting runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly put the Rockers up by five going into the seventh.  

In the top of the ninth, the Chinooks managed to get on the board. Josh Overbeek doubled to lead off the inning. Will Johannes and Adam Cootway hit back-to-back singles and just like that, the bases were loaded with no outs. An error committed by Green Bay’s first baseman would allow one run to score in favor of Lakeshore.  

However, the Chinooks’ rally fell short as they were unable to overcome the four-run deficit. 

The Rockers’ pitching kept the Chinooks off the board for almost the entire game. Green Bay starter Brett Sanchez (W, 3-0) struck out a season-high eleven batters while only giving up four hits in six innings pitched.   

Josh Overbeek led Lakeshore offensively, going 3-for-4 with two doubles. Every Chinook batter earned a hit on the night except for three, but on the other hand, those same batters were struck out 13 times. 

The Lakeshore Chinooks will return home to play a doubleheader against the Fond Du Lac Dock Spiders (7-15) at Moonlight Graham Field. The first pitches are set for 11:35 a.m. CST and 6:35 p.m. CST.