Mequon, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks had a tiring two-day stretch in Kalamazoo on Friday and Saturday, playing 30 total innings of baseball thanks to a two doubleheaders that were necessary due to previous postponements. The team got no rest as they traveled to Battle Creek to take on the Bombers on Sunday but showed no signs of being tired, winning the game 4-3.
The Chinooks jumped out early on Bombers starter Alden Cartwright (Louisiana State), chasing him from the game after just one inning thanks to a four-run first. Lucas Raley (Lake Erie College), who made history by smacking four home runs in game one of yesterday's doubleheader, led off the inning with a single.
A Doug Kraeger (Richmond) single brought in Raley for the first run of the inning, but the Chinooks were hardly done there. The very next batter, Colby Fitch (Louisville), hit a base knock of his own, plating Kraeger. Anthony Massicci (Canisuis) then walked, and after he and Fitch advanced on a wild pitch to put runners on second and third with two outs, a single from Greg Deichmann (Louisiana State) brought them both in.
Hunter Devall (Louisiana State) got the start against his LSU teammate Cartwright, and he delivered a solid outing considering he usually pitches exclusively out of the bullpen. Devall cruised through the first three innings, allowing just two baserunners. He came back out for the fourth but gave up a solo home run to Christian Helsel (Penn State) to begin the inning before departing the game with no outs in the inning. That was the only run he was charged with, and he also added three strikeouts.
The Chinooks next threatened in the fifth, when Raley led off the frame with a double. However, he was stranded there as the next three hitters were retired in order. Another opportunity came in the seventh after Drake Parker (Vanderbilt) and Jake Romano (Miami-Ohio) drew back-to-back walks to put two on with no outs. The team could not capitalize, though, as Raley struck out and Zarley Zalewski (Kent State) grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Nick Brown (Missouri State) came on in relief and had a great outing to help give a taxed bullpen some rest. He kept the Bombers scoreless for his first three innings but did run into a little trouble in the seventh. He let up two runs in the inning, but part of that was not his fault after two Chinooks errors led to one of those being unearned. The seventh would be his final inning as Brown threw 4.0 innings, giving up two runs, one earned, while allowing just one hit and striking out two.
The final reliever that the Chinooks needed for the night was Jack Landwear (Illinois State). He was tasked with holding a one-run lead for the final two innings and did just that. Landwear kept the Bombers at bay, throwing a 1-2-3 eighth and ninth.
The Chinooks offense never could muster any other scoring after the first, but it did not end up mattering anyways. The team finished with nine hits, including two each from Raley, Massicci and Fitch.
These two teams will square off again on Monday at Battle Creek as the Chinooks look to go for the series sweep.
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 (WSH) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WSH), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com.
