Mequon, WI — The Lakeshore Chinooks (13-16) absolutely hammered the Rockford Rivets (22-9) in a 13-6 final score thanks to an electric nine-run seventh inning and strong starting pitching from Cohen Achen. The stronger team right from the jump, the seventh stamped home a victory for the hosting Chinooks, which resulted in their best offensive frame of the 2024 season and surpassed the previous record of seven runs in an inning (two times).

In the seventh, CF Griffin Cameron provided the initial spark to start the rally. He singled to right and then stole second, beginning an unbelievable stretch of seven straight batters to reach base. The Current Electric Superhero of the Game Ethan Hindle then got on with a full sprint to first to force an errant throw, allowing Cameron to come home. Then, DH Dominic Kibler feigned a full count free pass.

Keeping the train going, SS Gabe Roessler then poked one off the end of the bat over the shortstop, and 1B Gene Trujillo laced a single into right to give Lakeshore its second and third runs of the inning. C Sam Hunt then matched Kibler with a full count walk, and LF AJ Garcia smacked a RBI single to right. Then, in his second at-bat of the inning, Cameron beat out a base hit to the shortstop to bring in run No. 6 in inning No. 7.

Then, Hindle made the defining play of the game. With the bags loaded, the Kentucky infielder hammered a bases-clearing double to left. The result of the swing, and all the great contact that came before it in the seventh, was the picture-perfect offense that led the Chinooks to a victory Thursday night.

“He’s such a dawg. In the dugout, you hear him talking and he’s locked in the whole time. He’s amazing,” Cameron said of his Wildcats teammate.

Hindle, like Cameron in the seventh, started a rally in the first inning for Lakeshore, his with a four-pitch walk. Later in the inning with two on, he exhibited some of his all-around game style by leading a double steal. Then, with the bags full, Roessler got a RBI the swing-less way with a walk for the game’s first run.

The next batter Gene Trujillo wouldn’t miss a chance to add on, as the power threat cranked a ground-rule double down the right field line to score two more. 3-0, Chinooks.

It was a dominant outing from Lakeshore starter Cohen Achen. Through two innings, the Calgary, Alberta native mowed down the rivets in just 22 pitches.

But in the third, the screws slashed three runs in behind the strong frame of CF Lucas Spence. After the first two runners got on, the lefty went oppo for a RBI double. The Rivets followed with a RBI groundout to first, cutting the Chinooks lead to one. Then, Spence raced home on a passed ball to knot the contest at three.

The 22 year-old Achen would settle down in the fourth, allowing the fish to pounce. Hunt made up for his passed ball with a leadoff double to right center, and then with one out and the catcher on third, 2B Brady Counsell stung a sacrifice fly to center to retrieve the lead for Lakeshore.

For the next two innings, the game flew by, with both pitchers picking up the pace. Achen completed six innings in his quality start.

The Lindsley Wilson College pitcher had given up just two hits on 82 pitches, adding six punch-outs to his final line. He would leave in prime position to record a win, the first for a ‘Nooks starting pitcher since, ironically, Achen won his start 12 days ago.

“It meant a ton; he’s saving a lot of guys in the bullpen,” Hindle said, referring to the furious fastball-thrower as a “bulldog”.

For Lakeshore, Adam Switalski (UW-Milwaukee) came out in the seventh. He continued the righty dominance for the Chinooks, setting the Rivets down in order to set up the bonanza in the bottom of the period.

“To just be able to really put the stomp on the game and seal the door felt so nice,” Hindle said of his bases-emptying two-bagger. “It’s all about finding a way to get to second base.”

The Chinooks kept the bases alive early and often in the chilly contest before nailing the Rivets’ coffins in the nine-run frame.

With the ‘Nooks up double-digits, reliever Arthur Liebau came in and attacked Rockford hitters, doing his job in finishing the game off with a comfortable margin of victory.

Though it was a team effort for Lakeshore, the box score would show multi-hit peformances from FOUR Chinooks. Hindle and Trujillo both recorded 3+ RBIs to add insult to injury.

“We’re playing for each other here, the vibe is off the chart,” Cameron said. “Stacking quality at-bats is huge for us.”

The Chinooks will go for a sweep of the screws and try to keep vibes terrific tomorrow evening. First pitch in game two of the home-and-home border battle is Friday at 6:35 p.m. (CST) at Rivets Stadium in Rockford, IL.