Eli Benes

MEQUON, Wi.- On Monday, June 29 the Lakeshore Chinooks and Kalamazoo Growlers played the second game of the two-game set to end the first half of the season.

Earning the win and set sweep off a season-high 20 run performance — the Chinooks fifth win in a row secured them their longest winning streak since 2021. Monday’s win was an all-around team effort, with six Chinooks collecting multiple hits.

With another season-high total coming in the form of 18 hits, every hitter in the lineup had at least one base hit.

“A lot of guys come in here every day wanting to get better. We’re all in the hitting facility getting early work every day and I think it’s starting to show at the plate,” Recently named Northwoods League All-Star Nolan Sandee said after the win.

Raising his batting average on the year to .308, Sandee had two hits, reaching base safely four times.

While the Chinooks had a steady diet of offense — scoring in all but two innings — they established a large lead early with a eight-run second inning.

Batting around the order, the Chinooks collected seven base hits. The Chinooks were aggressive early in counts, with five of their seven hits coming within the first three pitches of the at bat.

To round out the scoring, on the first pitch he saw from opposing pitcher Jack Crittendon, Aukai Kea sent a towering fly ball just over the left field fence for a three-run homer.

Down 11-1 heading into the fourth, the Growlers put up a fight, scoring five runs. After the fourth inning, the Chinooks outscored the Growlers 9-2. Mikel Moreno said his team talks about being disciplined in their approach whether they are winning or losing.

“Your approach at the plate is, it’s 0-0 and I just [have] to execute my game,” Moreno said.

Kea was not alone in the power department in the win, as first basemen and RBI team leader Bryan Lorenz joined the fun with a pair of round-trippers for his second multi-homer game of the year.

On his first home run in the bottom of the third inning, Lorenz got a hanging breaking ball down the middle, getting every bit of it for a two-run shot.

Hunting his second home run of the game, in the bottom of the seventh inning Lorenz barreled a fastball in the zone, securing his third, fourth and fifth RBI of the game off a three-run home run. During his active eight-game hit streak, Lorenz is 15-32 at the plate, with nine of his base hits coming off of extra-base hits.

Lorenz’s recent success is indicative of the run the Chinooks are currently on. In their last five games, the Chinooks have outscored opponents 54-23. Their 54 runs of offense, are tied with Madison for the most runs scored in the Northwoods League during this stretch.

“That’s what we’re capable of doing… Over the last four or five days we’ve been able to have more competitive at bats,” Field Manager Mikel Moreno said.

Alongside the hot hitting, the pitching staff has held strong for the Chinooks. In their last five games, the Chinooks have allowed 4.6 runs per game after allowing 7.6 runs per game in the previous five contests before the club’s win streak started on June 25.

“A lot of guys are coming in and trusting the process that Moreno is bringing in,” Sandee said. “[The] Pitching staffs’ keeping us in it every day even when the offense isn’t there.”

The Chinooks finished the first half of the season tied ninth for the best record in the league at 18-15.