MEQUON, Wis (WYATT BAUMEYER). \u2014 After the Lakeshore Chinooks beat themselves Monday night against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, the ballclub returned Tuesday night to Moonlight Graham Field in search of any encouraging signs.<\/p>\n
Jack Hagen, who joined the team Monday after winning the Division III College World Series with UW-Whitewater, began the evening in an encouraging way \u2014 precisely what the team needed. The right-hander retired his first nine batters, including a looking strikeout of the Northwoods League RBI leader Noah Ruiz, over three strong innings.<\/p>\n
On the flip side, Chinooks took an early 1-0 lead on a Beckett Zavorek two-out opposite-field single in the third. Leading entering the fourth, Lakeshore appeared to be on the way to a bounce-back win over a team it\u2019s struggled against.<\/p>\n
However, not much went the Chinooks\u2019 way over the game\u2019s final six innings, as a disastrous six-run fourth set up an eventual 12-9 loss and a series sweep to the Rapids Rafters.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to find a way to limit the big inning,\u201d Chinook\u2019s manager Mikel Moreno said.<\/p>\n
Hagen entered the fourth inning on cruise control, yet things unraveled rapidly for the right as the Rapids Rafters sent 10 men to the plate. Wisconsin Rapids later scored all 12 of its runs over the course of the fourth through sixth innings.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the play that summarized the fourth inning best \u2014 and a play that drained the Chinooks\u2019 early momentum \u2014 was a perfectly placed single through the left side that third baseman Tyler Preece would have fielded if not for a steal attempt by Rapids Rafters\u2019 designated hitter Madden Ocko to tie the game at one. After that play, the floodgates opened as the Wisconsin Rapids scored 12 runs in just three innings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a tailor-made double play,\u201d Moreno said<\/p>\n
Despite that miscue, the Chinooks\u2019 defense improved from Monday night, a night where the team committed numerous mental and physical mistakes on the field.<\/p>\n
On a night where so much went wrong, the Chinooks\u2019 offensive fight offered some encouragement.<\/p>\n
After surrendering 12 unanswered runs, the Chinooks slowly chipped away at the deficit.<\/p>\n
Jacob Kowes, who had dealt with a lower-body injury over the past two weeks, crushed a two-run home run in the fifth, and Zavorek delivered a three-hit two RBI effort to provide hope of a comeback.<\/p>\n
Moreno said Zavorek is a prime example of an all-around baseball player, as he plays good defense, is a good baserunner and delivers quality at bats.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just plays consistent baseball,\u201d Moreno said.<\/p>\n
In total, four Chinooks had two RBI games: Dominic Kibler, Dylan Sayles, Zavorek, and Kowes.<\/p>\n
Lakeshore returns to action Thursday after one of three league-wide off days \u2013 not including the All-Star break \u2013\u00a0 on Wednesday. The Chinooks are set to host the Kenosha Kingfish in the second set of the Fish Bowl Series at 6:35 p.m.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MEQUON, Wis (WYATT BAUMEYER). \u2014 After the Lakeshore Chinooks beat themselves Monday night against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, the ballclub […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":18074,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","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-18072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-team-news"],"yoast_head":"\n