MEQUON, Wis. — The Chinooks (9-14) blasted four home runs, just part of their 22 baserunners to reach base safely, as they pulled away from the Kokomo Jackrabbits (7-17) in a 12-5 home victory. One Lakeshore big fly came via the inside-the-park variety, and the other three were absolutely smashed, with two pummeled dingers in the eighth.

After Kokomo first baseman Aidan Mcaskie homered to left center in the top of the second, in the bottom of the period, Lakeshore third baseman Billy Scaldeferri (Grand Canyon) scored on an inside-the-park home run to right. The play was scary for visiting right fielder Lukas Farris as he crashed full-speed into the side wall, and Scaldeferri scampered all the way home to tie it at one.

“(Farris) came out of the game, but the game doesn’t stop for anything,” manager Mitch Rogers said. “We wheeled Billy around … and a home run’s a home run whether it leaves the park or not.”

Still in the second, shortstop Tristan Ellis (UW-Milwaukee) got on with a full count walk and then stole second for the first of his two stolen bases. Ellis was then caught being narrowly overeager on an attempted steal of third. With one out, first baseman Caleb Karll singled and center fielder AJ Garcia (Michigan) worked a full count walk of his own. Garcia stole second, but the Chinooks couldn’t score either of the runners.

In the bottom of the third, designated hitter Ethan Hindle walked and stole second before ending up at third with one out. Catcher Mason Schwalbach (Kansas State) re-knotted the game at two with an RBI groundout to first, a situational piece of hitting the team practices daily.

With a Jackrabbit on-base in the top of the fourth, Ellis made an important sliding, one-hop grab while falling to his right. The 5’8″ infielder then converted a double play from his knees to give starter Zach Slome (Concordia University of Wisconsin) four solid innings thrown.

The right-hander returned in the top of the fifth to sling another scoreless frame. After the game, second baseman Jack Counsell reviewed Slome’s start, one in which the hurler went 5.0 IP with just 2 H and 2 BB as he drew five groundouts and a double play.

“Slome did really good today,” the Northwestern infielder said. “He got in the zone, pitched to contact and threw great today.”

After the book closed on the Illinois native, on the first pitch of the Lakeshore fifth, right fielder Nash Rippen ripped a round-tripper to right. The solo shot left the yard quicker than a Rabbit eats a carrot. After Rippen, Counsell, who finished with three hits and three RBIs, clipped a double to left. Schwalbach followed with a walk to put two on. Then, the freshman Scaldeferri — yet to take a college at-bat — scalded a double to left to push the Chinook lead to three.

A pair of Lakeshore relievers made good on Slome’s early success in the matinee game with scoreless innings of their own. Tayton Herron (College of Lake County) struck out two via the backwards ‘K in the sixth, and in the top of the seventh, right-hander Alex Buchanan (Ottawa) started and ended the same way: punch outs.

Down an out in the bottom of the seventh, Counsell hooked a second two-bagger down the left-field line before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Designated hitter Ethan Hindle (Kentucky) understood the assignment. He hit a sac fly to center to extend the Chinooks lead to four.

For the Chinooks, the top of the eighth was dicey. Two runs scored to cut the Lakeshore lead to two, and then a double to left scored Mcaskie to shorten it to 6-5, Lakeshore.

The power exhibition that followed for the Chinooks reminded Counsell of batting practice.

Lakeshore nearly landed home runs from Caleb Karll (Ohio) and Garcia, but both were caught just short of the fence. Then, after Ellis walked and stole second, Rippen and left fielder Dominic Kibler (Kent State) drew walks. From that point on, the Chinooks absolutely bashed everything they saw. Counsell smoked a 2-RBI, bases-clearing single to center, giving the ‘Nooks a four-run cushion. Then, Hindle destroyed a two-run home run to left to make it 11-5. And after Schwalbach took the first two pitches, he demolished one of the loudest big flies of the 2024 Chinooks season to right to make it 12-5, Lakeshore.

“You know … when he connects with one,” Counsell said of Schwalbach. “The sound off his bat is different.”

After producing eight extra-base hits in the 12-5 triumph over the Jackrabbits, the Chinooks look to keep the offense flowing Tuesday as they travel to Green Bay for a home-and-home series against the Rockers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. (CST) at Capital Credit Union Park.

Article written by David Jacobs. Image by Chloe Bowers.