Fond du Lac, WI – Lakeshore (1-0) got its chance to wipe a clean slate Wednesday night following an up-and-down first half. They again faced the Dock Spiders (0-1) in a home-and-home. This time the game held meaning. Both teams represent the Great Lakes West division in the Northwoods League and will fight for the lone remaining playoff spot awarded to the best record of the second half. Fond du Lac’s front half saw them collecting the least amount of wins (13) in the division.

The Dock Spiders have had the Chinooks’ number so far this season, collecting three wins in four games played. However, Nerat has dominated Fond du Lac in the recent stretch, including a home run and two RBIs in last night’s game. The day before Independence Day, Lakeshore looked for some early fireworks from an offense that put up 21 runs in the first home-and-home.

A promising start for Lakeshore saw them load the bases up and bring seven men up to the plate, but only scoring one. A similar story to the recent play of the ‘Nooks where they have struggled to place a big hit when given the situation.

Despite Nerat’s warning yesterday, in the second inning Tsengeg left a pitch in his zone. Again he was able to “hang and bang” sending the ball back up the middle over the wall in center field.

The lead was much needed and backed by a solid first two frames from Cohen Achen in his last outing. As pitching coach Mitch Rogers would say, Achen has been “nails” for the team. Leading the league in strikeouts with 46 in 31 innings and just a 2.32 ERA. He continued the strong trend, retiring the first six in order.

Rare walks brought Achen’s season total to eight, but allowed the Dock Spiders free runners and even led to a run in a game they struggled to get on base early. With the bases loaded Parker Knoll came up and Achen jumped ahead 0-2. The lead would end there, Knoll took the fourth pitch of the at-bat over the fence in left field, scoring four, Fondy’s first grand slam of the season. Things were spun around, giving the web-makers a 5-2 lead.

Achen’s last start would end prematurely, his shortest of the year, while allowing the most runs and getting just one man via the ‘K.’

Herron came in relief and the Spiders offense continued to add to the lead, pushing it to five at 7-2 in the fourth.

After leading the bases loaded in the fifth, Lakeshore would finally capitalize in an optimal situation. Going into the sixth down five, coming out of it up two. The ‘Nooks recorded just one extra-base hit in the inning, working station to station with the assistance of four walks and a many stolen bases.

Lakeshore’s threat started when they scored two before getting an out. Runs came on three hits and a walk from the 8 through 2 hitters. Nerat continued his hot streak with a triple to left center that cleared both men on, putting the Chinooks back in reach. 9-spot hitter, Griffin Cameron’s second RBI single of the inning capping off the 7-run inning for the Chinooks. It would be ‘Nooks in front at the end of the sixth, 9-7.

Sullivan came into the game inheriting a one-out bases loaded jam. He allowed a sacrifice fly to get the second out before retiring Stack on a ground ball.

Staying in the game for the eighth, Sullivan gave up a leadoff triple on the first at bat of the season for Travis Strickler in his return to Fond du Lac. The triple was followed by another extra-base hit tying the game at nine.

Angell and Wiegert would retire the sides in order to push the second-half opener to extras, just like Lakeshore did to start the first-half opener at Kokomo.

In his fourth inning of work, the ‘Nooks finally broke down pitcher Colton Angell, Defensive changes moved Shapiro to first base, who would try to bullet a ball to a covering Angell on a Ty Wisdom pinch-hit ground ball. A clean play would end the inning, but Shapiro overthrew it and both Nerat and Hennings (who entered as a pinch runner for Trujillo) scored. Lakeshore jumped back to their 2-run advantage, 11-9.

Wiegert came back out for the tenth and got two quick outs, but faced adversity on a catcher’s interference that loaded the bases. With two away, he had to go right at Barragan. In a 3-2 count he sent a would be walk-off grand slam inches foul and two pitches later, the power righty blew a fast ball past him to end the game and secure the win.

It’s a trip back to Mequon to celebrate America’s Independence with a 1:05 pm CST first pitch.

Article written by Sam Marchant.