Mequon, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks entered Friday in sole possession of second place in the Northwoods League South Division. They took on the Green Bay Bullfrogs, who sat just a half game back of the Chinooks, on Friday looking to extend their hold on second place and hopefully narrow the six-game gap with first place Kenosha. After some early pitching dominance from both teams, Lakeshore came out and wound up scoring five runs as they defeated the Bullfrogs 5-2.

The Chinooks did not get anything off of Bullfrogs starter Sam Brunner (Dayton) for the first four innings, managing just one hit. However, they finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. The team quickly loaded the bases off of Brunner with no outs, and he was then pulled in favor of Matt McCarthy (Penn State). 

McCarthy did manage to get a double play, but a Kyle Wood (Purdue) two-out triple plated David Edson (USC) and Drake Parker (Vanderbilt). Wood then scored on a wild pitch to make the score 3-0 at that point.

Starter Brian Keller (UW-Milwaukee) was a workhorse for the Chinooks in this game. He threw 102 pitches in 7 and 2/3 innings, not giving up a run and allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out six. Keller also retired the last 15 batters he faced in a row. 

Manager Eddy Morgan went to Joe Stoll (Ohio State) with two outs in the eighth. He allowed a run after Caleb Ratzman (Illinois State) tripled and was drive in by a Ty Blankmeyer (St. Johns) double. Stoll did escape the inning without any further damage, however.

The Chinooks plated two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Kyle Fiala (Notre Dame) reached base after being hit by a pitch, and a triple from Lucas Raley (Lake Erie College) drove him home. Raley then scored when Colby Fitch (Louisville) smacked a sacrifice fly to right field. 

It was not a save situation, but trusted Chinooks reliever Jake Tuttle (UW-Milwaukee) came on for the ninth anyways. He let up a single run, but ultimately it was a meaningless one as the Chinooks went on to win 5-2. 

The Chinooks will take on the Bullfrogs again on Saturday at Kapco Park. After that, the team will have a two-game home series against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters on Sunday, June 21st and Monday, June 22nd.

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.