Eli Benes

MEQUON, Wi.- For the first time since 2024, the Lakeshore Chinooks last night faced the Rockford Rivets at Moonlight Graham field in Mequon, Wi. Winning their last contest against Rockford on August 4, 2024, the Chinooks made it two straight with a 8-6 win Monday night.

The Chinooks surrendered an early run in the top of the first inning, but responded quickly by scoring four runs on five hits. The big inning began with a first pitch bunt put down by the Chinooks leadoff hitter David Mysza.

With multiple bunt hits on the season, Mysza said he wasn’t thinking about bunting until he saw Rockford’s third basemen Jackson Forbes play off the line.

“I got confidence that I’ll get it down [and] that they’ll have to make a backhand play,” Mysza said. “I trust that I could get there more than he’ll make that play.”

Following Mysza’s bunt, the Chinooks played small ball with an infield hit and two singles, before an RBI double from Nolan Sandee broke the game open.

After the first inning, Rockford stayed persistent on offense, eventually knocking out Chinooks’ starting pitcher Max Mousser after just 2.2 innings pitched. In 17 batters faced, Mousser induced five whiffs with only one strikeout.

With Mousser’s start, Chinooks starters have averaged 3.1 innings pitched in their last five games. Despite the bullpen seeing plenty of action in recent play, they held up well, allowing four runs (two earned) in 6.1 innings pitched.

Making appearances in back-to-back games, Christopher Romo and Mason Lizarraga covered innings three to nearly the end of the seventh. With the Chinooks leading 6-4 going into the top of the eighth inning, the Rivets acted swiftly by loading the bases with no outs off two bunt hits and a walk.

After an out at home on a fielder’s choice, the Rivets tied the game thanks to a throwing error committed by the Chinooks.

Both runs in the inning came on the play the error was committed, with the first run scoring off a fielder’s choice and the error coming on an errant throw by Nolan Sandee after a hard slide into second from Caleb Rhodes.

Leading the game since the bottom of the first inning, the Chinooks needed some clutch hitting in order to hold on for the win. Entering Monday with a walk-off hit under his belt, Bryan Lorenz came up big for the Chinooks with a go-ahead two RBI double off the left field wall.

Lorenz said flushing earlier poor at bats in games has helped him.

“Every at bat it’s this new challenge, and you have to step into the box with that open mindset,” Lorenz said.

Leading the Rivets 8-6 going into the final frame, the Chinooks called on Zach Gibbs for a save opportunity. Gibbs had a tall task, as the Rivets reached base in every inning leading up to the ninth. With that being said, Gibbs didn’t have trouble with the Rivets, striking out the side for the win.

Upon striking out Beau Bloxdorf to end the game, the Chinooks’ dugout ran out to celebrate the win on the mound. With Monday’s win, the Chinooks are now 6-8 in games their opponent scores first.

“It was good to have a win where we got behind and then had to come back,” Mysza said. “It showed that we’re not going to cruise with the lead we got in the first couple innings. We got to keep playing the game, winning every inning.”

Back to .500 at 13-13, the Chinooks and Rivets cap off their two-game series on Tuesday, June 23 at 6:35 pm CDT in Rockford, Ill.