Chinooks Drop Rain-Soaked Battle with Rockers
June 27, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Lakeshore Chinooks News Release
GREEN BAY, Wis (WYATT BAUMEYER). - With one out in the sixth inning and the bases loaded, leading by one, Lakeshore Chinooks' pitcher Nate Gray battled through adversity against the Green Bay Rockers Thursday night.
After recording four strikeouts in the previous inning - Chinooks' catcher Jack Kleveno failed to block a curveball that spiked, allowing Rockers' first baseman Cooper Smith to reach - Gray returned to the field for the sixth in a torrential downpour.
Instead of entering into a second rain delay, Lakeshore played Thursday's game amidst the soggy conditions.
To plead his case for a delay, the Chinooks' right-hander repeatedly asked the home plate umpire for a new, dry baseball, throwing the instantly wet balls away.
Gray said he couldn't grip the baseball and thought the game should have entered a delay.
Yet, the Chinooks found themselves playing on in the rain.
Gray fought his command and managed to induce an infield-fly-rule popup to shortstop David Hogg; yet, battling the rain, Hogg lost sight of the ball and dropped it, allowing a run to score. From there, the floodgates literally opened.
Green Bay took advantage of the rainy conditions - and the Chinooks' sloppy defense, albeit the rain played a huge factor in those errors - and put together a three-run sixth inning, taking the lead for good.
Chinooks' manager Mikel Moreno and his coaching staff were disappointed with the decision to play on in the rain, especially since the game entered a delay after the sixth inning.
Moreno said it wasn't safe for either team in the sixth inning, as the hitters couldn't see the ball, and the pitchers couldn't control where the ball was going; however, the game continued.
"All it would have taken was a 10-15 minute delay," Moreno said.
Before the rain-soaked sixth, the Chinooks had momentum after overcoming a 3-0 deficit, fueled by the heroics of Hogg.
The newly committed shortstop to the University of Kansas delivered two clutch hits, including a go-ahead two-run double, that ignited a dormant Chinooks' offense.
However, lost in Hogg's big night at the plate and the rain was the table-setting effort by second baseman Beckett Zavorek, who reached base before and scored on each of Hogg's hits. Zavorek displayed his baserunning skills Thursday night, as the Arizona State product scored from first base on both hits.
Another night lost in the weather came from right-fielder Brody Rasmussen, who recorded the Chinooks' first hit of the game and reached base three times.
As a matter of fact, Lakeshore's leadoff trio of Zavorek, Hogg and Rasmussen combined for seven of the Chinooks' eight hits.
On the flip side, despite the rain, the Chinooks' pitching staff allowed a run in every inning.
Left-hander Dylan Escobar started and improved upon his previous outing against the Rockers - Escobar allowed four runs in just two innings on June 17 in Green Bay - allowing a run in each of the four innings he pitched.
With the second half beginning on July 1, Thursday's appearance was Escobar's last with the Chinooks, as the left-hander is on just a first-half contract.
Lakeshore returns to action Friday evening in Madison, beginning a home-and-away series vs. the Mallards. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CDT with left-hander Chance Covert starting for the Chinooks.
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