Mequon, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks had a six-game winning streak snapped in game two of their doubleheader on the road against the Madison Mallards on Friday, but they returned home to Kapco Park looking to stay hot nonetheless. They took on another hot team in the La Crosse Loggers, who entered the contest having won seven of their last nine games. The Chinooks ended up prevailing over the Loggers 7-3, but the game only went seven innings because a heavy fog rolled over Kapco Park, forcing the umpires to end the game early.
The Chinooks quickly scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Lucas Raley (Lake Erie College) hit a two-out single, and Loggers starter Ryan Marks (Columbia) proceeded to walk three batters in a row to allow him to score. He got the scoring going again in the bottom of the third when he smacked a solo home run, his third of the season and third in the last four games.
Raley's homer was not the only scoring that the Chinooks got in the third, though. The team loaded the bases with one out after a walk from Doug Kraeger (Richmond) and singles from David Edson (Southern California) and Greg Deichmann (Louisiana State). Aaron Rzucidlo (Georgia) came through with the clutch hit, driving in Kraeger and Edson with a single to make the score 4-0 at that point.
Lake Bachar (UW-Whitewater), who entered the game with a 0.56 ERA in three starts, looked like his vintage self in the early going, retiring the first nine batters he faced. He ran into some trouble in the fourth, however, letting up three runs. Jordan Zimmerman (Mesa Community College) and Brock Lundquist (Long Beach State) were the ones who did the damage, each smacking RBI singles in the frame. Bachar was removed after the fourth having allowed just two hits but three runs while striking out three and walking one.
Marshall Kasowski (Houston) made his first appearance of the season in relief of Bachar, firing two scoreless innings. He made things interesting in the top of the sixth, allowing the bases to be loaded with no outs. However, he worked out of the jam, in part thanks to a great running catch from second baseman Kyle Fiala (Notre Dame) that was way out in right-center field.
The Chinooks held a one-run lead until the bottom sixth, when they came back to plate three runs to get back to a more comfortable margin. Raley was involved once again, smacking a one-out double and later coming around to score on a Zarley Zalewski (Kent State) single. Raley had himself quite a day, going 4 for 4 with a homer, a double and two singles while scoring three runs. Edson furthered the damage in the sixth, driving in Kraeger, who had previously singled, and Zalewski with a two-RBI triple to make the score 7-3 at that point.
After Kasowski, Joe Stoll (Ohio State) finished off the game for the Chinooks, throwing 1.0 scoreless innings before the fog ended the game. He actually got four outs, inducing a fly out in the top of the eighth before the fog caused the game to be ended, but with the game ending early it was only official through seven innings and Stoll does not get credited with the out he earned in the eighth.
The Chinooks will take on the Loggers again on Sunday, June 14th at home before starting a two-game home series against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters.
The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League draws significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS, Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com.
