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Northwoods Green Bay Rockers

Brunner, Bullfrogs Seek to Finish Home Stand on High Note

June 26, 2015 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Green Bay Rockers News Release


Paul Jacobson of the Green Bay Bullfrogs
Paul Jacobson of the Green Bay Bullfrogs
(Green Bay Rockers)

Green Bay, Wis.- The Bullfrogs (17-12) will go for a home sweep of the Battle Creek Bombers (12-19) at 7:05PM from Joannes Stadium. They look to finish the home stand with a 6-1 record.

With the first half of the Northwoods League season coming to an end on June 30th, the Bullfrogs sit just two games behind the Kenosha Kingfish in the South Division.

Within a piecemeal pitching strategy, Green Bay will start Sam Brunner (RHP/Dayton) for the third time this season. Brunner, a right-hander capable of working as a starter, long-reliever, and closer is in his second year with the Bullfrogs. He has a 2-2/2.29ERA/15 2/3IP mark on the campaign.

Battle Creek responds with another excellent starting pitcher in game three. Min Hsia (RHP/National Taiwan Sports University) has weathered through six innings or more in his last three times on the mound.

If fans can show that they are an organ donor tonight, they will receive a free Bullfrogs hat. The promotion is part of UW Health Organ Night also featuring organ donation education.

Twin Bill Format Ends In Bullfrogs' Favor Again

For the second time, the Bullfrogs swept a double-header last night, 4-0, and 3-1. An exasperated Bombers team will enter game three still winless overall (0-3 in 2015) against Green Bay after they pitched their two definitive aces, Andrew Mitchell (LHP/Delgado C.C.) and Alex Hermeling (RHP/Louisiana-Monroe).

In game one, Mitchell racked up over 35 pitches in the second inning and had to exit in short order. In the decisive inning, he allowed three runs as the Bullfrogs forced a throwing error on a ball hit back to the mound and scored after a Matt De La Rosa (Lenoir-Rhyne) groundout to second, Paul Jacobson (South Dakota) double down the third base line, and Logan Taylor single.

It was all they need for the best start of the season from Alex Martinez (RHP/De Anza College). Martinez raced through six innings giving up just three hits and a walk. Jeremy Graf finished off the Bombers in the seventh lowering his season ERA to 0.52 (including game two scoreless inning).

In the back end of two, the Bullfrogs were in the midst of a pitcher's duel turning to a combination of Tommy Strunc (RHP/Creighton), Connor Donovan (RHP/Lehigh), and Jeremy Graf (RHP/Flagler). For the Bombers,

Hermeling toed the slab with a 0.81 ERA and three complete games, one of the Northwoods League's most dominant pitchers.

He showcased that dominance for four innings, as the Bombers tacked on an unearned run off of Strunc in the third inning, hoping it would be enough for their 6'5" ace. But the Bullfrogs base-running intelligence, timely hitting, and patience paid dividends.

In the fifth inning, Ty Blankmeyer (St. John's) ripped a base hit to centerfield behind in a 1-2 count off Hermeling. Franco Guardascione (Jacksonville) was initially held up at third until Dan Swain's (Siena) off-line throw scooted to the backstop and Guardascione tied up the game with a head first slide home.

Another defensive mistake by the Bombers in the inning gave the Bullfrogs the go-ahead run. It was Ty Blankmeyer on third base, as he crept in with an extended lead home, prompted a wild throw from Battle Creek catcher, Spencer Hemphill (Louisiana-Monroe) into left field.

"We were just trying to get a hard fake like we were going to the dish and draw a throw. And it worked," said Blankmeyer of his score from third. "We drew a throw and ideally it went into the outfield for me to advance to score a run and take the lead."

The Bullfrogs' two victories on Thursday night was the second time they had swept a double header, the other time was against Wausau on June 15th. In three of the four games on double-header days, the Bullfrogs have shut out the opposition.

Bullfrogs' Pitching Surges To Top Again; Donovan Continues To Rake

Over the past 23 innings (three games) the Bullfrogs have allowed just one run. Their team ERA now stands at a league best 2.51 ERA.

Their starters have also been back on track as over that stretch, Disch, Martinez, and Strunc combined for 14IP/8H/2R(1ER)/10K, all performances that helped garner Green Bay victories.

With the departure of Alex Martinez, Luke Crabb (VCU), and Mike Ellenbest (Saginaw Valley State) from the starting rotation, the Bullfrogs staff will now need to be re-adjusted heading into a July month that features 13 road games in the first 18 days.

Parker Hamilton (RHP/Florida Gulf Coast), Ryan Radue (UConn), Nathan Disch (Jacksonville), and ace Garrett Harrison (St. Cloud State/ 1.34ERA/6th in NWL), and Sam Brunner (Dayton) are the starters for now with question marks swirling around the sixth and seventh openings in the current rotation schedule.

Like yesterday's game exhibited, the Bullfrogs are confident about taking relief arms like Tommy Strunc (2014 Big East Preseason Pitcher of the Year) out of their bullpen roles and going "whole staff" if necessary with the departure of some of their most reliable hurlers.

For a while, Green Bay relied on their pitching without much offense. That continues to change by the day, as the Bullfrogs have molded a lineup that has credibility to swing with the upper echelon of the entire league.

Ryan Donovan, after an 0-for-4 day with three strikeouts in a 7-1 win over Lakeshore on June 24th, reverted back to his old form with a 2-for-2, and 1-for-3 double header. His double in game one puts him at 15 extra-base hits, tied for first in the Northwoods League.

Donovan also now leads the league in RBI (28) and still is at the top of the pack with five home runs. His focus on just hitting (as DH) has show to have permanently strengthened the middle of the order.

Field Manager Skip Handeslman has put Logan Taylor (Louisville)-Robb Paller (Columbia)-Danny Rosenbaum (Louisville) at the first three slots of the order, giving him an OBP of .400+ with Taylor and Paller and a seasoned RBI hitter in Rosenbaum (10RBI/10G) hitting third.

A glorious day for Paul Jacobson (South Dakota State) at the plate last night may also signal his slump could be over. In two games, Jacobson went 2-for-4 with a double, run, and two stolen bases (11/2nd team). His hard hit count has finally resulted in hits and important at-bats including his extra-base hit off of the 90 + MPH thrower Alex Hermeling.

Battle Creek's Dismal Hitting; Starter Min Hsia

Battle Creek has lost three in a row, and scored only one run in three games. In the pair with Green Bay Thursday, they only rapped a total of seven hits.

They lack power that complicates matters for a team constructed to make contact and get on base with singles and walks. New arrival Steven Wells Jr. (Florida State) who had three hits in two games against Wausau, went 0-of-6 against the Bullfrogs.

Hitters 3-5 in the Battle Creek lineup just went 3-for-18 and a shifted infield, new catcher, in game two did not resolve any of the run-scoring problems the Bombers have been facing the whole season.

Min Hsia (National Taiwan Sports University) has done well throughout the season though, and takes the ball tonight at Joannes Stadium. The Taiwanese right-hander sports a 2-2/2.64ERA/8G(5GS)/34IP/13K-6BB slash line. As evidenced by his numbers, he won't strikeout too many, but he is not prone to surrendering free passes either.

The Bullfrogs look for the three-game sweep of the Bombers before traveling to Battle Creek for two games over the weekend.

Single game tickets are on sale now. Visit www.greenbaybullfrogs.com to purchase tickets. The Bullfrogs' business hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.




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Paul Jacobson of the Green Bay Bullfrogs
Paul Jacobson of the Green Bay Bullfrogs
   

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