Heartbreak as the Chinooks Fall Despite a Ten-Run Comeback

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Northwoods Lakeshore Chinooks

Heartbreak as the Chinooks Fall Despite a Ten-Run Comeback

May 29, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Lakeshore Chinooks News Release


Kalamazoo, Mich. - When it rains, it pours, as the Chinooks experienced heartbreak Thursday morning in Kalamazoo.

After trailing 10-0 entering the seventh inning, the Chinooks fired off 10 unanswered runs, fueled by a two-out grand slam by first baseman Drew Reynolds.

In the ninth, the fighting fish rallied off six runs, highlighted by a wild pitch allowing Tyler Preece to score the tying run following a barrage of two-out walks.

The Chinooks failed to score in the tenth with the ghost runner on second, and ran out of pitching, forcing infielder Ian Choi to pitch.

With the bases loaded and just one out, Choi surrendered a walk-off single to Mike Sprockett, ending four-plus hours of action.

However, this heartbreaking defeat came after the Kalamazoo Growlers' offense scored 10 runs in just six innings, including a gut-punch seven-run fourth.

A bases-clearing double off reliever Aaron Robinson by Growler nine hitter and right fielder Daniel Williams set up the disastrous frame.

Still, with no outs, right-hander Zander Bretza replaced Robinson, inheriting a clean situation, yet Bretza loaded the bases again without recording an out. Kalamazoo kept the line moving, finding every which way to score.

However, in that fateful fourth, the Lakeshore pitching and defense did manager Mikel Moreno no favors. The defense committed two errors, and Chinook pitchers had no control, walking three and hitting one.

All of this despite Lakeshore catching a major break when Growler designated hitter Mike Sprockett missed a grand slam by mere inches off the top of the left field wall, turning a would-be four-run boost into a very long single.

The chaos of the fourth inning reflected a problematic early-season trend for the Chinooks: their starting pitchers' inability to go deep into games.

Lakeshore featured a bullpen game after its starters allowed 14 runs in just 8 â..." innings on the road trip.

Right-hander Koehn Thomas started and went just an inning, allowing a single run on a two-out single after a walk.

Thomas retired Growler third baseman Brodey Acres - Acres went 2-4 with two RBI a day ago - and shortstop Evan Rodriguez rather quickly before issuing a two-out walk to left fielder Trevor Johnson, who later scored after stealing second base.

On the flip side, Kalamazoo starting pitcher Wilson Kruse locked down the Chinooks, matching Jeremiah Holder's effort on Wednesday.

The Growler right-hander pitched 4 â..." innings of hitless baseball while striking out four. Kruse departed in the fifth due to issuing seven walks, yet no runs.

Lakeshore had few and far between scoring opportunities before their late-game heroics, but the Chinooks' best early chance came with runners on second and third with two outs in the second.

After a pair of two-out walks to Preece and first baseman Graham Kasten and a couple of stolen bases, shortstop Collin Senior grounded out to third base on a less-than-routine play by Acres.

A winless opening road trip across Battle Creek and Kalamazoo dropped the Chinooks to 0-4, their worst start since at least 2020.

The silver lining for the Chinooks is that they return home to Moonlight Graham Field Friday for the home opener against rival Fond Du Lac, with a chance to get into the win column in front of the home faithful.

Written by Wyatt Baumeyer



Northwoods League Stories from May 29, 2025


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