MEQUON, Wis. (WYATT BAUMEYER) \u2014 The Lakeshore Chinooks completed perhaps their most impressive day of baseball of the 2025 season Saturday against a powerful foe in the Wausau Woodchucks.<\/p>\n
In a pair of seven-inning games, the Chinooks swept the first-place Woodchucks, winning 3-1 in Game 1 and rallying down 6-3 late in Game 2 on catcher Jack Kleveno\u2019s biggest hit of the season.<\/p>\n
Trailing 7-5 entering the top of the seventh — Lakeshore was the visiting team in Game 2, as that game was a makeup of a July 23 rainout in Wausau — the Chinooks faced a two-out, bases-empty situation with the hope of a comeback dwindling.<\/p>\n
Yet, the Chinooks showed signs of life when second baseman Jack Counsell tripled and designated hitter Broc Parmer reached on a hit-by-pitch. With runners on the corners, left fielder Sam Meidenbauer singled, scoring Counsell and bringing the Chinooks within a single run. A walk by right fielder Dylan Sayles loaded the bases down just a run, and Kleveno due up.<\/p>\n
After walking the Woodchucks off on June 19\u2013part of another double header\u2013the Utah catcher lined a double into left-center field, giving the Chinooks an 8-7 lead and eventual victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to get the next guy up to the plate, and lucky enough, I came through right there,\u201d Kleveno said.<\/p>\n
The Chinooks\u2019 catcher said in big moments like Saturday\u2019s, his mindset is to remain calm and focused.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe calmer I am, the better,\u201d Kleveno said. \u201cBefore every at-bat, I tell myself [to take a] deep breath.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite recording the game-winning hit, Kleveno said he didn\u2019t expect to get an at-bat in a high-leverage situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think I was gonna get another at-bat, luckily, I did,\u201d Kleveno said.<\/p>\n
What made Saturday\u2019s Game 2 winner so special for Kleveno was that his father witnessed it, something Kleveno said was \u201cvery cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, despite Kleveno\u2019s go-ahead heroics, the Chinooks needed three more outs.<\/p>\n
After right-hander Jackson Broden issued a pair of baserunners on a hit-by-pitch and a walk, Lakeshore found itself in a jam with no one out.<\/p>\n
Chinooks\u2019 Manager Mikel Moreno turned to right-hander Nick Heisl, inheriting a less-than-ideal situation; yet, he slammed the door by striking out a pair of Woodchucks and getting a routine groundout to shortstop Bubba Heidler.<\/p>\n
Moreno said he was impressed with his right-hander’s ability to escape the jam against the league\u2019s top offensive team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was really happy for him, that was a very good job,\u201d Moreno said.<\/p>\n
Heisl, who pitched 1 and \u2153 innings and surrendered five runs against Wausau on July 22, left his previous work in the past and \u201cwon\u201d the Chinooks the game; however, the Lakeshore offense overcame a three-run deficit as well.<\/p>\n
Moreno said his offense grinded out the game, never giving up despite trailing for much of the evening.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe offense was way better tonight,\u201d Moreno said of his team\u2019s offensive output compared to Friday\u2019s three-hit effort in Green Bay. \u201c[We] just continue to work hard and refine our craft and get better every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lakeshore completes its season series against Wausau Sunday afternoon at 1:05 CDT, aiming to finish above .500 vs. the Woodchucks at home. As it stands, the Chinooks are 6-2 against Madison and Wausau \u2013 two playoff hopeful teams \u2013 at Moonlight Graham Field in 2025.<\/p>\n
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MEQUON, Wis. (WYATT BAUMEYER) \u2014 The Lakeshore Chinooks completed perhaps their most impressive day of baseball of the 2025 season […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":18304,"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-18303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-team-news"],"yoast_head":"\n