Mequon, WI – The first pitch back at home was delayed an extra hour for the Chinooks Friday night after a quick-passing storm flew through right before game time. A visit from the traveling Mud Puppies based in Minnesota, who sat at 1-9 coming into the weekend’s contests, came at the best time for a struggling Lakeshore ball club. It’s the lone visit from the Mud Puppies in Mequon this season.

With the delay, Cohen Achen starting pitcher for the Chinooks tonight had this to say, “It sucks, but I try to control the controllable.” During the extra time, he did his own “thing” which meant he hung out, listened to music, talked with friends, and tried to have a good time without worrying about the start too much.

At quarter before eight, Achen finally got to step on the mound, something he had been preparing for all afternoon. Wasting no time he struck out the side to start the game. Needing only 13 pitches, throwing 11 of them for strikes.

An early offenseive start for Lakeshore came on a Deboskie leadoff walk that led to a run off the shattered bat of Joey Nerat. He muscled a grounder through the infield and advanced into second on a throw home that would be cutoff for Deboskie to score with ease. Another walk and hit by pitch would load the bases, but a double play ended the threat for the ‘Nooks in the first. 1-0 through the first.

Through three, Achen didn’t allow a baserunner, but a single to start the fourth frame for Lee ignited the offense for Minnesota. With one out and the bases loaded, a ball that skipped into the grass in right field scored two before Headlee was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double. A strikeout kept the damage at two and set the score in favor of the Mud Puppies 2-1.

After a troublesome fourth, Achen settled in and threw another shutout inning to close his start. The two earned runs his only hiccup as he totaled 12 strikeouts on 87 pitches.

Relief comes when the start is finished for Achen, he finds himself pretty nervous pre-game and dialed in throughout his time on the bump. The tough fourth took away from the strong start in his mind, but he’s thankful for the toughness of the offense and bullpen.

The baserunners were on and active for both teams, but with little to show for it leaving runners stranded on the bases.

‘Nooks hitters wouldn’t be denied, in the eighth they threatened again after Hennings singled and stole second. Two straight outs wouldn’t allow him to advance, but Colon waited for a strike and drove it into center to even the game at two. Defensive gems by the Mud Puppies corner outfielders continued as Ty Wisdom sent a ball to the wall that right fielder Fritcher had to climb to get while throwing himself into the wall. That would end the inning for the Chinooks, but not before leveling out the game.

The wind was blowing in the entire night and required adjustments on both sides of the ball. Nerat spoke about the adjustment Lakeshore made mid-game due to the wind, working on lowering the eye-level and keeping the ball down – hitting line drives and hard ground balls. The execution came into the light as the offense put up two in the last three innings.

Weigert stayed in the game for the Chinooks’ for the ninth and closed the door on the Mud Puppies, striking out the final batter of the ninth.

In the bottom half of the inning, Lakeshore looked to score in any fashion and end the game to avoid extra-innings in back-t0-back games, but the side was retired in order and fate would have its way.

Closing out the game, Weigert pitched a scoreless tenth setting up the Chinooks’ for another extra-innings victory and the walk-off. Starting the bottom of the inning with a hit-by-pitch and a bunt that left pitcher Sam Cooper on the ground and everyone safe. With the bases loaded, Gene Trujillo looked to knock the game home for the ‘Nooks, but it came in a different way. A pitch that travel too far inside for the second time in the inning, clipped Trujillo brining-in in the winning run courtesy of the walk-off hit by pitch for the 3-2 victory.

Friday’s win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Chinooks’ and leads into a sweep opportunity of the Mud Puppies Saturday night with a 6:35 pm first pitch set at Moonlight Graham Field in Mequon.

Article written by Sam Marchant. Image by Chloe Bowers.