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Northwoods Battle Creek Battle Jacks

Battle Creek Falls Short on Opening Day

May 28, 2019 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Battle Creek Battle Jacks News Release


Battle Creek had plenty of pomp, but it was the Lakeshore Chinooks' bats that brought the circumstance in an 8-3 Lakeshore victory on Opening Day Tuesday night.

The Bombers were looking for their first Opening Day win since 2014, but they never led as Lakeshore grabbed an early advantage and held on. Savier Pinales opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the second inning off of starting pitcher Josh Hranicky. The Chinooks added two more runs in the third inning when Justin Olsen delivered with an RBI single, before being thrown out at second trying to stretch his hit into a double.

The Bombers answered back with a run of their own as first baseman John Malcom hit an opposite-field double to drive in Jack Merrifield in the bottom of the third. Hranicky surrendered another run in the top of the fourth, though, to give the Chinooks a 4-1 lead. Battle Creek came to bat in the bottom of the fourth and were able to take advantage of the only two errors made by Lakeshore all game. Mistakes by shortstop Jake Thompson and third baseman Cameron Hart drove in two runs, and Battle Creek cut the lead to 4-3.

The top of the fifth spelled trouble for the Bombers, as Lakeshore sent 10 batters to the plate and forced Hranicky out of the game. Four hits and two walks, as well as a throwing error from Bombers shortstop Kelby Wyler, plated four Chinooks as Lakeshore opened up the largest lead of the game.

Neither team scored from there, as both team's bullpens locked down. Burrell Jones impressed for Battle Creek, as the Wabash Valley College right-hander struck out five Chinooks in a row over the fifth and sixth innings.

Lakeshore finished the game with 10 hits and two errors, compared to Battle Creek's five hits and one error. The Chinooks took opening day at C.O. Brown Stadium for the third time in five years, as the Bombers continue to look for their first home Opening Day victory since 2013.

The two teams will finish their two-game set on Wednesday at 10:05 a.m. as they welcome local schoolchildren on Education Day.



Northwoods League Stories from May 28, 2019


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