{"id":18326,"date":"2025-06-17T02:01:44","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T02:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/royal-oak-leprechauns\/?p=18326"},"modified":"2025-06-17T02:01:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T02:01:44","slug":"royal-oak-holds-on-against-woodchucks-4-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/royal-oak-leprechauns\/2025\/06\/17\/royal-oak-holds-on-against-woodchucks-4-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Royal Oak holds on against Woodchucks, 4-3"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jacob Cotsonika<\/strong><\/p>\n

The bases were loaded for the Wausau Woodchucks<\/a> on Monday night with two outs in the ninth. Royal Oak held a 4-3 lead. There is no scenario in the sport of baseball that gets visualized more in backyards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wausau had already made it a game by scoring two runs in the frame. With the game in the balance, Leprechaun fielder manager Chris Faust gave the ball to Colton Jones<\/a> (Florida Gulf Coast).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a consistent strike thrower,\u201d Faust said about why he put Jones in after the game. \u201cHe\u2019s a type of guy that\u2019s not really fazed by certain situations. I felt super comfortable giving him the ball right there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve definitely (gone through that situation) a few times,\u201d Jones said. \u201cProbably more than 10. I\u2019ve been in a similar situation in high school, so it\u2019s nice to have something to look back on where you\u2019ve been successful before.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jones faced off against Wausau\u2019s Noah Malone<\/a> (Loyola Marymount), who had already roped a double during the game and held a batting average comfortably above .400 on the young season.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the weight of everything on his shoulders, Jones struck out the Woodchuck star on four pitches to earn a one-out save and the win for the Leprechauns.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Woodchucks had previously only put up one run during the game\u2019s initial eight innings. That run was on a solo homer from Cade Baldridge<\/a> (Kansas).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wausau\u2019s only lead didn\u2019t last for very long, though. Tristan Crane<\/a> (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) answered back with his own solo shot to left-center field during the fourth inning to tie the game up at one. That was just Royal Oak\u2019s second home run this season \u2014 the other came from Ryan Tyranski<\/a> (Cincinnati) in a game at Wausau on June 3 \u2014 and the team\u2019s first one at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels good,\u201d Crane said. \u201cI know this is not an easy ballpark to homer in, so yeah, it feels good to get one out of there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Royal Oak then took the lead an inning later, scoring three runs on four hits. All those base knocks came from the inning\u2019s first four batters. Owen Turner<\/a> (Yale) had an RBI double that came close to also clearing the wall, Nolan Alvord<\/a> (Grand Valley State) had an RBI single, and Chase Van Ameyde<\/a> (Notre Dame) came across during the middle of a double play.<\/span><\/p>\n

It also helped that Ryan Kruse<\/a> (Valparaiso) had perhaps his best outing of the year on the mound. Kruse only allowed one run and three hits during his five innings of work, striking out nine in the process. Ever since allowing six earned runs and recording just one out on Opening Day, Kruse has only allowed two earned runs over 16.2 innings pitched (1.08 ERA).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNothing really changed (after Opening Day),\u201d Kruse said. \u201cI just kept executing pitches. I don\u2019t try and look at results. I just try and execute pitches and let my defense do the work.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome days you\u2019re gonna give up hits. Good pitches get hit sometimes, and sometimes, other days, you\u2019re gonna do great and that\u2019s just baseball.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Leprechauns\u2019 bridge relievers were also fantastic. In between Kruse\u2019s exit and the start of the ninth, Wausau did not get anyone on base. Luke Coll<\/a> (Appalachian State) worked spotless sixth and seventh innings. Jake Shelagowski<\/a> (Saginaw Valley State) was also perfect during the eighth inning during his debut with the team. Shelagowski, who struck out two of the three batters he faced, also topped out at 97 miles per hour in the Memorial Park radar gun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was electric,\u201d Faust said about his team\u2019s latest addition. \u201cVery smooth 97 (m.p.h.), competitive in the strike zone. He\u2019s just a competitor, man. Fun to have him around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With the victory, Royal Oak improves to 10-11 on the season, while Wausau drops to 12-8. The Leprechauns will look to sweep this two-game set against the Woodchucks on Tuesday and also clinch the four-game season series against this foe, as Royal Oak has taken two of the first three.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tuesday\u2019s matchup against the Woodchucks will be the last chance to see the Leprechauns at home for a bit. Following that the 6:35 p.m. ET game at Memorial Park, Royal Oak will be on the road for the next seven days and will play eight consecutive road contests. The Leprechauns won\u2019t return home from that road trip until June 25.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jacob Cotsonika The bases were loaded for the Wausau Woodchucks on Monday night with two outs in the ninth. 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