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Northwoods Lakeshore Chinooks

Chinooks Prevail In Pitchers' Duel

June 6, 2015 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Lakeshore Chinooks News Release


Lakeshore Chinooks Pitcher Lake Bachar
Lakeshore Chinooks Pitcher Lake Bachar
(Lakeshore Chinooks, Credit: Kaitlyn Saugstad)

The Lakeshore Chinooks have seen their fair share of craziness in the past few days, playing three extra-innings games in four contests, including a 19-inning game that took two days to finish. After finishing Friday's suspended game earlier in the day, the team finally saw things calm down a bit on Saturday night, as they won a quick two hour and two minute pitchers' duel by a score of 1-0 against the Battle Creek Bombers.

Lake Bachar (UW-Whitewater) had been arguably the Chinooks best pitcher heading into this start, posting a 1.00 ERA and striking out 16 in his 9.0 innings pitched. He continued the dominant streak in his start against the Bombers on Saturday, throwing 7.0 shutout innings, giving up just one hit and no walks while striking out eight. While Bachar has seen success using primarily his fastball in his past two outings, he relied a bit more heavily on his breaking ball in this game while still showing great command of the fastball down in the zone.

"I was just trying to go with first pitch strikes and trying to fill up the zone," said Bachar, "I had a lot of great defense behind me." Asked of the importance of keeping this game a bit more short and sweet than their recent contests, Bachar said, "It really gave our players a rest because they've been working hard and playing a lot of extra innings. It was nice getting a routine game in."

The only time that Bachar really faced any trouble came in the top of the sixth. Cayce Bredlau (Austin Peay) led off the inning by reaching second on an error from Bachar, and he later advanced to third with two outs. Nevertheless, the Chinooks escaped the inning unscathed.

"I knew this was going to be a big inning," Bachar noted of the sixth-inning jam. "I just thought, 'attack the hitters.'"

Alex Hermeling (Louisiana-Monroe) had a brilliant start of his own for the Bombers, throwing 8.0 innings and giving up just an unearned run on two hits and no walks while striking out four. The only time that the Chinooks managed to get to him was in the bottom of the seventh, and that was not even Hermeling's fault. Zarley Zalewski (Kent State) reached with two outs in the inning on an error by shortstop Trey Walsh (Belmont), and Doug Kraeger (Richmond) then made the Bombers pay for their error by driving in Zalewski with a single.

John Schreiber (Kent State), who made a start for the Chinooks earlier in the week, came on in relief of Bachar in the eighth. He did his job, throwing a shutout inning while striking out one. Mike Letkewicz (Augustana) then came on in the ninth, making things interesting by loading the bases with no outs. He managed to get the first two outs, however, and then

manager Eddy Morgan elected to bring in Jake Tuttle (UW-Milwaukee) to get the final out. Indeed he was able to do so, earning the save by striking out pinch hitter Niko Pacheco (Cal State Fullerton).

The Chinooks will continue a four-game home stand as they take on Wisconsin Rapids on Sunday, June 7th and Monday, June 8th.




Images from this story

Lakeshore Chinooks Pitcher Lake Bachar
Lakeshore Chinooks Pitcher Lake Bachar
(Kaitlyn Saugstad)		   



Northwoods League Stories from June 6, 2015


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