Down in a 1-2 count in the bottom of the eighth inning, Brady Counsell jumped on a pitch up in the zone and sent it screaming into the Mequon sky. With the hard contact, it wasn’t a question if the ball would travel far enough.
“I knew it had the distance, but I wasn’t sure if it would stay fair or go foul,” Counsell said.
The ball rocketed around the right side of the left-field foul pole, giving the ‘Nooks 2B 4 RBIs for the game. But unfortunately for Lakeshore (11-15), Counsell’s efforts were too little, too late as the Fond Du Lac Dock Spiders (10-17) swept a home-and-home series after getting out to a big lead in their 11-6 victory.
Right from the start, the Spiders looked poised to pounce on Chinooks pitching. Two straight singles brought up the 3-hitter, and loud contact threatened the fish even further. But an excellent play by CF AJ Garcia to snare a hard-hit ball would prove to be an early turning point. Quickly, a ground ball double play erased the baserunners.
In the Chinooks half of the first, multiple long at-bats ensued. After a strikeout, Spiders lefty Ethan Cole dealt with two full counts. The pitcher won the battle against both Lakeshore batters, striking out the side.
Chinooks opener Ryan Karst returned the favor with strikeouts of three Fond Du Lac hitters, stranding a walk.
The next inning, the 6’3″ thrower maintained the tie ballgame, forcing two more strikeouts.
However, with the ‘Nooks unable to put up a crooked number in the first three innings, the Spiders gave the Chinooks a bad case of dejá vu. Just like Sunday’s loss for Lakeshore, Fondy grew a significant lead in the middle innings.
It was the arachnids who again won multiple full count fights in the fourth. Fond Du Lac loaded the bases with nobody gone. Promptly, Spiders’ 3B Drew Prosek punched a ball just barely through the left side of the infield, scoring two.
Then, with momentum squarely in the Spiders’ favor, Chinooks RF Griffin Cameron made a web gem with a pro-level outfield assist, gunning down a runner at the plate. The picture-perfect one-hopper was a thing of beauty for Lakeshore. Fans gave the play a standing ovation, and Karst rewarded them with a strikeout to limit the damage.
Counsell then hooked a fourth-inning double to left. The University of Minnesota product quickly came home when 1B Gene Trujillo stroked a single to center. 2-1, Dock Spiders.
Karst had completed his outing with a decent line to show for it: 4.0 IP, 6 Ks and two runs allowed (both unearned). ‘Nooks reliever Arthur Liebau struggled early but scrapped his way to a two-on, two-out situation against RF Adam Cootway. He let a couple pitches get away from him, and suddenly a one-run deficit became three for Lakeshore.
The timely scoring would continue in the sixth for Fond Du Lac. Liebau couldn’t finish the inning, and the Spiders effectively played small ball to score three more.
Then, with a different pitcher on for Lakeshore, Cootway cranked a laser over the wall for a 3-run HR. The hole was similar to what Fondy dug for the fish Sunday afternoon, another game where the Spiders spun a nine-run lead.
But also just like Sunday, the Chinooks would scald some balls to keep things competitive. In the bottom of the sixth, Lakeshore executed a double steal, and Counsell smacked a sacrifice fly to right. Then, Trujillo added his second hit, scoring the newcomer Cameron from second base.
Fondy kept coming in the eighth. Drew Barragan sent another round-tripper over the fence on the first pitch of the inning, restoring the Spiders’ eight-run lead.
Counsell made sure to give ‘Nooks fans something to cheer for in his next trip to the plate, blasting the home run to left. The righty finished 2-3 with a HR, a 2B, 4 RBIs and 2 R in his best game yet as a Chinook.
Despite the loss, Lakeshore did exhibit serious athleticism Monday. Counsell provided fireworks, and Cameron’s home plate throw-out and the Chinooks’ double steal were diamonds in the rough.
After a tough series against Fond Du Lac, the Chinooks look to improve their pitching against the Wausau Woodchucks (22-5) in 6:35 p.m. starts Tuesday and Wednesday night.
