BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The Chinooks could not start their season off on the right foot, dropping the opener on the road to the Battle Jacks, 7-4.

Lakeshore got off to a strong start. They worked Battle Creek starter Austin Wolfe, grinding deep into at-bats and creating traffic on the bases. 

Ultimately, third baseman Jed Garcia brought home their first run of the season, grounding into a fielder’s choice which allowed second baseman Tyler Preece to cross the plate. 

Starting pitcher Nate Gray was dominant out of the gate for the Chinooks on the mound, holding the Battle Jacks hitless through three innings while striking out three as well. 

But in the fourth, the wheels came off. 

Gray allowed five straight base runners before registering an out. By the time Battle Creek’s Aaron Orzech grounded into a fielder’s choice, the damage had already been done. The Jacks had scored four runs, the start of a five-run inning which saw the hosts take a lead they wouldn’t surrender. 

Battle Creek tacked on three more runs in the seventh inning. The Chinooks responded with a three-run eighth inning to cut the deficit in half, but the comeback came up short. 

Offensively, the output simply wasn’t ever going to be enough for Lakeshore to come out on top. Two hits in the first eight frames along with 13 strikeouts on the game is not a winning formula. 

Half of the team’s hits came from first baseman Jacob Kowes, with no Chinook hitter recording an extra-base hit. 

Still, there’s a lot of baseball to be played this summer, giving Lakeshore plenty of time to sort out the offense.

The Chinooks will look to register their first victory of the season when they return to MCCU Field tomorrow morning. First pitch is scheduled for 10:05 a.m. CDT. 

Article written by Peter Miller