Eli Benes

MEQUON, Wi.- To close out a successful month of July, on Friday, July 31 the Lakeshore Chinooks played the Royal Oak Leprechauns in a rainy contest. With rain picking up in the bottom of the fourth inning, the game eventually went into a rain delay after five complete innings.

With the Chinooks leading 5-1, they eventually went on to earn the win with the game being called due to heavy rain. The Chinooks offense was fueled by their four-run first inning.

Following Joshua Chairez grounded out to start the inning, starting pitcher Sawyer Cooney threw 12 consecutive balls, loading the bases for Sam Myers. With Cooney leaving the game due to injury after walking David Mysza, Royal Oak had to go to their bullpen early.

Coming in to pitch for Royal Oak on short notice, Jonathon Tober recorded the second out of the inning, striking out Sam Myers. With the bases remaining loaded, the Chinooks got on the board first on a wild pitch from Tober.

With the bases loaded after a Sam Meidenbauer walk, a two-run single from Vinny Spotofora and RBI single from Aukai Kea gave the Chinooks a commanding 4-0 lead.

With a eight strikeout performance from starting pitcher Eli Niemiec, Royal Oak was held to one run. Allowing six hits in his start, Niemiec limited the damage by allowing all singles, while inducing 13 swings and misses.

After his strong start, Niemiec leads the club in strikeouts with 45, 14 more than the runner up. With the win concluding the month of July, the Chinooks finished July with a 20-8 record and head into the final month of the season with a 2 1/2 game lead over Wausau in the Great Lakes West.