Mequon, WI – After splitting an away series with the Kenosha Kingfish, the Chinooks returned home to Kapco Park on Saturday to face off against the La Crosse Loggers in game one of a two game series.

Saturday marked the third meeting of the year between the two clubs, with La Crosse getting the better of Lakeshore by completing the sweep in their first series back on June 16. This time, the Chinooks managed to end the night in the win column, as Kevin Riley (Chaffey CC) laced two home runs to lead the Lakeshore offense in a 4-2 victory over La Crosse.

Cole Gnetz (Miami-Ohio) took the mound for his eighth start of the season for Lakeshore. Gnetz has pitched well for the Chinooks coming into Saturday, posting a 1-1 record and a 3.37 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 22 walks in 37.1 innings of work.

Jonathan Teaney (San Diego) started on the bump for La Crosse, making his eighth start of the season as well. Teaney faced off against the Chinooks on June 15, picking up the win as he held the Lakeshore offense to two runs on two hits in 5.0 innings pitched. Since then Teaney has improved his record to 4-2 with a 4.98 ERA coming into Saturday, tallying 28 strikeouts and 21 walks in his 30.2 innings pitched for La Crosse.

The Loggers struck first in the top of the second. Griffin Conine (Duke) lifted a full-count delivery from Gnetz over the right field wall to give the Loggers an early 1-0 lead.

However, the lead was short lived as the Chinooks answered in the bottom of the second. A two-out single by Hayden Senger (Miami-Ohio) got things going for Lakeshore. After swiping second, Senger advanced to third on an infield single by Matt Reardon (Florida Gulf Coast). Then, Kevin Riley squared up and drove his third home run of the season over the left field fence, giving the Chinooks a 3-1 lead.  

The Loggers tacked on one more in the top of the third. An error by Chinooks’ third baseman, Tim DalPorto (Kent State), allowed lead-off hitter Randy Labaut (Arizona) to reach base. An infield by Mason McCoy (Iowa) and then a sacrifice bunt by Justin Wylie (San Diego State) advanced the runners to second and third with one out. Then, a sacrifice fly to left by Cullen Large (William & Mary) scored Labaut to make it a 3-2 ballgame.

Gnetz’s night would end after the fourth inning, as Chinooks’ manager Eddy Morgan called up Nick Lackney (Minnesota) to take over in relief. Gnetz gave up two runs on three hits, striking a pair but issuing five walks in his four innings of work.

The Chinooks struck once again in the bottom of the fifth. Kevin Riley stepped up and roped his second home run of the game to increase the Chinooks’ advantage to 4-2.

Both teams struggled to produce any offense following Riley’s blast in the fifth. Relief appearances by Joey Abraham (Vanderbilt) and Joe Stoll (Ohio State) in the top of the ninth sealed the deal for Lakeshore, securing the 4-2 win for the Chinooks over the Loggers in game one of the series.

Nick Lackney was awarded his first win of the year after holding the Loggers to only two hits and recording three strikeouts in his scoreless 4.0 innings of work. Joe Stoll picked up his first save of the season after coming into the game with two outs in the ninth and shutting the door on the Loggers’ offense. Jonathan Teaney was issued his third loss of the year after giving up four runs on six hits and issuing two walks in his 6.0 innings pitched for the Loggers.

With the win the Chinooks improve their second half record to 5-6 and their overall record to 20-27, while the Loggers drop to 4-6 for the second half and 21-25 overall for the season.

The Chinooks return to Kapco Park on Sunday to face off against the Loggers in game two at 1:35 pm.

The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing 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 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit http://northwoodsleague.com/lakeshore-chinooks or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the Chinooks as your favorite team.