In a game that was played across two days due to rain, the Lakeshore Chinooks (11-17) fell to the Green Bay Rockers (14-13) 4-2 Friday night at Moonlight Graham Field.
“Unfortunate with the weather,” Lakeshore pitcher Gradin Taschner said. “The team played really well. We played our hardest for sure. We stuck with them (and) they’re a good ball club. They won when it mattered most and got the job done.”
Lakeshore got on the board first in the bottom of the second. After two quick outs, Carson Hansen reached base on an infield single. Will Johannes then doubled to center field, putting the Chinooks ahead 1-0 heading into the third inning.
In the top of the fifth, Green Bay responded with a run of its own. Kendal Ewell hit a one-out single and advanced to third base on a pass ball and a wild pitch. Ewell then crossed home plate on a fielder’s choice to tie the game going into the bottom of the inning.
This game was then suspended due to rain and picked up in the sixth inning the following day. Lakeshore reliever Larry Gallo entered and got three quick outs to restart the game.
The Chinooks had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Jack Counsell singled to right field to start the inning. He then stole second base and reached third base on a throwing error.
After an infield single by Jacob Nelson and a walk, the bases were loaded in favor of Lakeshore. However, no runs would be scored as Joey Spence then grounded into a double play.
Neither team was able to close it out in the ninth, forcing the game into extra innings. In the top of the eleventh, the Rockers’ offense broke open the scoring. Sam Polk was hit by a pitch and moved over to second base on a groundout.
With runners on second and third, Zane Zielinski hit a two-RBI single to put Green Bay ahead 3-1. Cooper Kelly kept the line moving with another RBI single to give the Rockers a three-run lead.
Despite scoring one run, Lakeshore could not rally back in the bottom of the eleventh, leading to its second straight loss.
Hansen led the way for the Chinooks, going 2-for-4 and scoring one run. Johannes and Adam Cootway drove in the lone two RBIs.
“We have to start off with strike one with almost every batter,” Taschner said about what it’s going to take to win game two. “If we just swing the bats how we have been and just play tough defense, we have this one in the bag.”
