Eli Benes

MEQUON, Wi.- Looking for a series split, the Lakeshore Chinooks battled the Wausau Woodchucks on Tuesday, June 16 at Moonlight Graham field. Tuesday’s game came on the heels of a 6-4 loss to the Woodchuck the previous night where the Chinooks committed three errors.

Making his way to Mequon after beginning the season with the Kenosha Kingfish, Sam George made his Chinooks debut as Tuesday’s starting pitcher. George recorded a 4.26 ERA in 6.1 innings with Kenosha.

Following a scoreless first inning from George, the Chinooks scored first for the third time in the series. With two outs and a runner on third, David Hogg II drilled the first pitch of his at bat into left field for an RBI single.

Eventually finishing Tuesday’s contest with two hits, in his last five games Hogg II has a .429 batting average in 14 at bats.

Responding quickly to the Chinooks early offense, the Woodchucks scored a single run in innings 2-4. During this stretch, the Woodchucks brought 15 batters up to the plate, with a Chris Patterson solo shot in the top of the fourth inning highlighting the Woodchucks active offense.

Not wasting any time, the Chinooks offense erupted for five runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Facing the Woodchuck’s first call to the bullpen in Ben Chuttey, David Mysza sent a hanging breaking ball from Chuttey over the right field wall for the third grand slam of the series.

After fouling off a first-pitch fastball, Mysza expected the next pitch to be an off-speed pitch.

“He hung it and I just made sure it was up [and] I held my line,” Mysza said.

In his second season with the Chinooks, Mysza has found early success, driving in five runs in just three games.

With George getting pulled from his start after four innings of three-run ball, Casey Robinson in relief delivered a three up three down fifth inning. In his second and final inning of work in the top of the sixth, the Woodchucks collected their fourth single run inning thanks to a Joey McLaughlin RBI double.

The Chinooks pitching staff did an excellent job of preventing any high-scoring innings, as the Woodchucks left 10 runners on base in Tuesday’s game.

Holding a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Chinook Sam Meidenbauer stepped up to the plate after the leadoff batter Nolan Sandee got on base. Before Tuesday’s matchup, Meidenbauer hadn’t made an appearance since June 6 in a 3-2 win over Fond du Lac.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Meidenbauer launched a two-run home run to extend the Chinooks lead 8-4. Meidenbauer’s home run is his first hit since May 29.

“That was definitely the best feeling ever,” Meidenbauer said. “I definitely waited my turn, but I was working hard for when the opportunity came that I could take full advantage of.”

The Chinooks added a run on to their lead in the seventh inning, but it didn’t matter as the club cruised to a 9-4 win and series split. Entering the game in the top of the seventh inning, Chinook Dominic Monaco dominated the Woodchucks with eight strikeouts in three innings.

Tuesday’s win represents the Chinooks second come from behind win of the series after trailing the Woodchucks in the fourth inning.

“The boys were resilient today. I’m proud of them for fighting and not giving up… Staying tough and just playing the game from start to finish,” Meidenbauer said.

Back into .500 with a 10-10 record, the Chinooks travel to Fond du Lac tomorrow for a single game matchup against the Dock Spiders with first pitch at 6:35 pm CDT.