The Lakeshore Chinooks (5-4) started their five-game road trip off on the right foot, pulling past the Kokomo Jackrabbits (4-5) 7-6 on Tuesday night at Kokomo Municipal Stadium.
The Jackrabbits struck early in this one, as they got their first runner on base when Lakeshore starting pitcher Colin Dailey hit Jackson Horn with a pitch. Horn moved over to second on a wild pitch and found himself on third after a groundout. Another wild pitch allowed Horn to score, putting Kokomo up 1-0 heading into the top of the third.
However, Lakeshore’s offense responded in the top half of the next inning. Sam Meidenbauer hit a one-out single to get things started, and he was able to move over to second on a groundout. Taeg Gollert then hit a two-out triple to score Meidenbauer and tie up the game 1-1. Lakeshore wasn’t finished, as Josh Overbeek singled to right field to put the Chinooks ahead 2-1 going into the bottom of the third.
Kokomo scored two more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Dailey led off the inning with two walks and a balk, putting runners on second and third for the Jackrabbits. Another walk loaded the bases, and an RBI fielder’s choice tied up the game 2-2. Karson Hesser then hit a sac fly to put Kokomo ahead 3-2.
Dailey was pulled after 2.2 innings pitched and right-handed reliever Tyler Gall came in to replace him. Jackson Horn then hit a single up the middle to score another run for Kokomo, making the score 4-2 heading into the top of the fourth inning.
The Chinooks got one run back in the top of the fifth inning. Drew Townsend led things off with a double down the right field line. He advanced to third on a double play and scored off a wild pitch to put the score at 4-3 heading into the bottom half of the inning.
In the top of the sixth inning, Lakeshore grabbed the lead once again. Cody Kelly hit a leadoff single and Andy Nelson followed it up with an infield single that led to a throwing error. This put runners on second and third with no outs. With two outs, Townsend hit a two-run double to put the Chinooks on top 5-4, marking his third hit of the night.
It wasn’t long before Kokomo tied this game up again. In the bottom of the sixth, back-to-back singles put two runners on for the Jackrabbits. A groundout to Gall moved the runners over to second and third, and an RBI groundout tied the game up 5-5. A walk put runners on first and third and Gall was then replaced by Jack Grable.
Grable walked the first runner he saw to load the bases and hit the next batter, putting Kokomo back on top 6-5. He struck out the next batter to end the inning, but the damage was done heading into the top of the seventh.
Lakeshore battled back in the top of the eighth. Two walks and a hit batter quickly loaded the bases for the Chinooks, forcing the Jackrabbits to take out their reliever Quentin Pohorski. Meidenbauer then put the ball in play, and an error by Kokomo’s shortstop Stephen Schissler allowed a run to score, tying the game up 6-6.
Nate Mieszkowski then drew a two-out walk to put the Chinooks ahead 7-6 heading into the bottom of the eighth. That would be enough for Lakeshore, as Caden Morton (W, 1-0) pitched another scoreless inning to close out the game.
The Chinooks outhit the Jackrabbits 8-3. Townsend went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Overbeek went 2-for-5 with one RBI.
Lakeshore will look to take their second series of the season as it faces Kokomo again tomorrow night at Kokomo Municipal Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. CST.
