Mequon, Wis. \u2014 A two-run eighth-inning surge helped the Chinooks, but didn\u2019t add up in the end.<\/p>\n
A combination of a throwing error and a turned double play closed a 5-3 deficit, tying the contest at five in the eighth.<\/p>\n
Though the Woodchucks didn\u2019t crack, instead firmly answering in the final frame.<\/p>\n
\u201cCredit to our guys for coming back, you know we tied up the ballgame in the eighth,\u201d Chinooks coach Travis Akre said. \u201cIn the ninth, we get a strikeout, and we can\u2019t complete it on the bobbled ball behind the plate, and that happens, but they made us pay in the next hitter with the homer, and all of a sudden we\u2019re chasing two [runs].\u201d<\/p>\n
Left fielder Kevin Kilpatrick blasted a two-run shot to left field \u2014 a two-run lead Wisconsin (4-1) never relinquished as the crowd at Kapco Park stood in silence.<\/p>\n
Relief pitcher Jim Jarecki allowed a one-out RBI double to right fielder Brandon Trammel, sinking Lakeshore (2-3) 9-5 in its second-straight home loss.<\/p>\n
Despite a 1-for-5 finish in Thursday\u2019s home opener, catcher Riley Swenson ignited the Chinooks\u2019 scoring early, providing an RBI knock into left field for a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the second.<\/p>\n
First baseman Griffin Doersching followed the ground rule double with a one-out solo home run \u2014 his second of the season \u2014 in the third, as Lakeshore climbed ahead 3-1.<\/p>\n
Taking the mound in his first start at Kapco Park, right-hander Joe Glassey kept the Woodchucks silent through the first two rounds.<\/p>\n
Lacking consistency in the third, the Illinois product began to fold and was lifted after 3 1\/3 innings with two earned runs, and Jarecki (0-1) took the loss.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he [Glassey] just ran out of gas a little bit, but I thought he pitched really well,\u201d Akre said. \u201cHe\u2019s just working on a few things, he\u2019s taking words from his [coaching] staff that he\u2019s gotta work on this summer, and that\u2019s what these kids [have in common].\u201d<\/p>\n
An RBI single to right field put the Woodchucks on the board with their first run, and third baseman Bryson Hill lofted a sacrifice fly to center field in the fourth to slice the Chinooks\u2019 advantage to 3-2.<\/p>\n
Signaled for after a one-out double to center field, Chinooks reliever Mitch Mueller prevented first baseman Tyler Macgregor from scoring. The right-hander of Winona State forced a pair of groundouts to retire the side.<\/p>\n
The Woodchucks were just getting warmed up, nonetheless.<\/p>\n
Center fielder Tyler Kehoe\u2019s two-out double down the third base line threatened Mueller and Lakeshore in the bottom of the fifth.<\/p>\n
And then in the sixth inning, they finally jumped ahead.<\/p>\n
Catcher Dalton Reeves rocketed a three-run home run to right field, pushing Wisconsin ahead 5-3 while making Mueller pay for leaving a delivery high in the zone.<\/p>\n
After a silent bottom of the sixth, Woodchucks leadoff hitter Kevin Kilpatrick led off with a single to left field, registering his third multi-hit game of 2021. The left fielder swiped second base, but was thrown out at home plate, eliminating the Wisconsin threat.<\/p>\n
With a runner on first in the eighth, the Chinooks had hopes of placing a runner in scoring position and adding a run for the first time since the third. Left fielder Connor Fiene was caught off the bag, and designated hitter Nathan Rose struck out swinging in the empty trip.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just gotta execute, we\u2019re still leaving some guys on [base],\u201d Akre said. \u201cThis is the first game where we\u2019ve been out-hit, but we have still left a lot of guys on base, so we just gotta execute that. We have a lot of depth on this team, a lot of talent; we\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Managing to stay alive through the eighth, Lakeshore used second baseman Brennen Bales\u2019 only hit of the night, a single to right field which secured runners on the corners. Center fielder Nathan Aide\u2019s subsequent walk filled the bases, setting up left fielder Ethan Vecrumba to reach first on a throwing error.<\/p>\n
Trailing 5-4, third baseman Dalton Doyle grounded into a double play but sacrificed himself for the tying run in Bales. No further scoring damage was done as Swenson also grounded out.<\/p>\n
Though the Chinooks were prepared for one last offensive burst in the ninth, they remained on the wrong end of a humbling hitting display.<\/p>\n
Jarecki had tossed two scoreless innings, but the right-hander ran into trouble after the eighth.<\/p>\n
The go-ahead run in designated hitter Norris McClure began by reaching first on a dropped third strike, as Kilpatrick lifted a 1-1 pitch over the fence to put Wisconsin back in front, 7-5.<\/p>\n
Grounding out to shortstop, Hill shifted Trammel to third base, and an RBI single up the middle tacked on the Woodchucks\u2019 ninth and final run of the night.<\/p>\n
Momentum was zapped and Lakeshore\u2019s next three batters were each flustered by strikeouts \u2014 a rally-less final chance that handed the Chinooks their third defeat.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a tough night for me,\u201d Rose said on his 0-for-5 performance in the leadoff spot. \u201cStriking out every time is not a good thing obviously, but I\u2019m just sticking to my approach that I\u2019ve had all spring and up until tonight. Just trusting it and getting back after it tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Chinooks and Woodchucks will get together once more for Game 2 on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mequon, Wis. \u2014 A two-run eighth-inning surge helped the Chinooks, but didn\u2019t add up in the end. A combination of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":11270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-team-news"],"yoast_head":"\n