Mequon, WI — The Lakeshore Chinooks (14-18) fell behind big early on Sunday afternoon against the Madison Mallards (24-9), who came into today tied for the best record in all of the Northwoods League. Lakeshore didn’t record its first hit until the fourth inning. But after the Chinooks got down six, they put up two straight crooked numbers to rip off seven unanswered runs and notch a 7-6 comeback victory.

“It was huge that we were able to pick each other up and put some runs up in the fifth and sixth innings … and then have a great defense out there and win the game,” reliever Michael Gray said.

If you saw the Chinooks in the middle innings, you would’ve thought this was a game they blasted to a comfortable victory. But if you saw the Chinooks in the first four, you would’ve though a comeback was inconceivable.

Anything’s possible.

Including a two-error inning by a typically rock-solid defender. After ducks CF Justin Best poked a 2-RBI single to center and stole second, a ground ball slid under the glove of Chinooks 2B Brady Counsell, allowing two Mallards to score. Then, with Lakeshore down four, a mental blunder at the keystone prevented a potential double play, but starter Ryan Karst worked around it.

Despite the Mallards’ quick scoreboard pressure, the ‘Nooks couldn’t get their bats going in the first three innings. Two walks and a hit by pitch were all Lakeshore could muster the first turn and change through the lineup.

Meanwhile, things went from bad to worse on the other side of the plate. DH Cal Fisher hit a high pop that got lost in the sun, and when nobody could see it, he earned a single. Then, Fisher stole second and came around on a single to center, extending the Mallards’ lead to five.

Again in the fourth, a weak fly ball to center got lost in the light, this time for a double. By the end of the inning, it was 6-0, Mallards.

Reliever Michael Gray entered for Karst in the fifth. With him, he brought an assuredness that rubbed off on his teammates.

“This league is all about how long you can stay focused… and we help them stay ready for the moment,” hitting coach Mitch Rogers said.

After CF Griffin Cameron hit a single, Counsell reached base on a bad throw in an important twist of fate. The extra baserunner was key because it helped Lakeshore get a rally going in the fifth. The power threat swiped a bag, his fourth of the season, and RF Connor Hennings followed with a HBP to load ’em up with just one out.

‘Nooks 1B Mason Schwalbach then drew a bases-loaded walk to puncture the scoreboard. Finally, DH Ty Wisdom provided the big hit for the fish, roping a 2-RBI single up the middle to get the Chinooks back in the game.

“We love the community and we love the fans, so any time we get ’em hooting and hollering it means a lot to all the guys,” coach Levi Jensen said.

Gray came out in the top of the sixth and drew three groundouts, giving the Chinooks a chance to wrestle the momentum fully to their side.

In the top of the sixth, Counsell flared a single to center. Unfortunately, next batter Ethan Hindle – the Chinooks OPS leader with a clip of 1.164 after Sunday – was hit square on the left hand and had to be replaced on the bases. Then, a massive game-altering mistake by the shortstop allowed two Lakeshore runners to score, cutting the lead to one.

One of the moments of the game followed it. The hard-hitting Schwalbach smoked a standup triple to right center to tie it up at six, giving him two winning plays in the game.

“I like to think I got a little speed on me… I can unleash the hitch every now and then,” the first baseman said, grinning.

Wisdom brought him in with a sac fly to left in the next at-bat. 7-6, Chinooks.

“Not one second there did we doubt them or have to get into them. We knew they were gonna get it done,” Jensen said.

From there, it was the Michael Gray show. The southpaw re-entered with his first lead of the day, and after a walk, he threw two ‘K’s and a caught stealing.

In the eighth, with the Chinooks still up one, the Mallards’ Best singled to left. With two outs, he then stole second. But Gray wouldn’t be denied. He slammed the eighth-inning door for his sixth strikeout through four scoreless innings.

“He has been nails,” Jensen said of the Denison University product.

All of a sudden, it was the top of the ninth. A quick single to right put the pressure on Gray, who earned the green light to close it out. The lefty then induced a fly out to right and a soft grounder to get the runner at second.

Gray confidently got the final out, finishing off the Mallards to give the Chinooks a massive comeback victory. Lakeshore fell down six in game two, but a team effort propelled a one-run victory the night after a one-run loss.

After splitting the series against the Mallards, the Chinooks get the Dock Spiders at 6:35 p.m. (CST) up in Fond Du Lac Monday evening to kick off July.

Article written by David Jacobs.