Loggers Look Forward to Second Half of the Season, Beat Hot Tots 5-2
July 3, 2023 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
La Crosse Loggers News Release
LA CROSSE, WI - The first half of the Northwoods League season has come to a close. While the Loggers certainly did not plan on being at the bottom of their division at the halfway mark, they did finish the first half on a high note.
Scoring in Monday night's game would not begin until the top of the third inning. Two Hot Tot batters would single and a passed ball would bring a runner to third. Tristan Moore would hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the first run of the game. Minot would go up by another run in the fifth inning with a bases-loaded walk.
Things would get a little more wild in the sixth. Two singles and a walk would load the bases as Jackson Cobb (Kansas) stepped to the plate. The second pitch of the at-bat would be wild allowing Austin Smith (San Diego) to score. As the Hot Tot catcher searched for the ball by the backstop, Matthew Piotrowski (Cal State LA) sprinted toward home. Once he found the ball, the throw from the catcher to the pitcher covering home plate was late as Piotrowski slid safely home to tie the game. I am not sure if the throw was wide or if the pitcher lost the ball in translation, but it flew toward and landed in the Logger dugout. Blaise Priester (Meridian CC) had scampered to third by that time and was awarded home as the ball went out of play. With one fell swoop the Loggers had taken the lead 3-2.
The Lumbermen would get some insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Smith would be hit by a pitch to begin the inning, Piotrowski would double to put runners on second and third, and Priester would walk to load the bases. After an out, Gable Mitchell (Iowa) would step to the plate and shoot a ball down the right field line all the way to the visitor dugout. His blazing speed got him to third before he held up as the ball came into the infield. Though the play was not an inside-the-park home run, the damage had been done and the score was 5-2.
Logger reliever Sam Hart (Iowa) would throw two scoreless inning to secure the save for the Loggers. Fans at Copeland Park were ringing the victory bell to close out the first half of the season. Both the Hot Tots and the Loggers finished at the bottom of their respective divisions. They will look to improve in the second half. The Loggers will spend July 4th in Rochester before coming back to La Crosse for a home game against the Honkers on July 5th.
Northwoods League Stories from July 3, 2023
- Express Beat Rochester to Claim First-Half Title - Eau Claire Express
- Loggers Look Forward to Second Half of the Season, Beat Hot Tots 5-2 - La Crosse Loggers
- Chinooks Drop Final Game of First Half to Wausau - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Wausau Finishes First Half Strong, Defeats Lakeshore 8-4 - Wausau Woodchucks
- Spitters Clinch Playoffs for Fifth Year in a Row - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Rockers Clinch Spot in 2023 Northwoods League Playoffs Following Monday's Win Against Mallards - Green Bay Rockers
- Stingers Defeat Border Cats in Extras for Second-Straight Day, Win 3-2 to Close Impressive First Half - Willmar Stingers
- Battle Jacks Lose To Rivets 6-1, Fall To 0-3 Against Brett Sears - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Rox Finish First Half with 21 Wins After Game Two in Waterloo - Travel to Duluth for Two-Game Series Tomorrow to Start Second Half - St. Cloud Rox
- Mallards Lose Sixth Straight, Green Bay Earns Chance at Title - Madison Mallards
- Rivets Fall Short to Battle Creek While on the Road - Rockford Rivets
- Wausau Woodchucks to Acquire JBA Clutch Baseball & Softball Organization - Wausau Woodchucks
- Andrew Delaney Named Northwoods Player of the Night on Saturday - Rockford Rivets
- Rockers Eying Playoff Berth, Set for Last First Half Matchup - Green Bay Rockers
- Stingers Bounce Back in Clutch Comeback Effort, Outlast Border Cats 3-2 - Willmar Stingers
- Battle Jacks Trip Up Rivets 4-3, Hit Six Doubles - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Loggers Stay Undefeated on Nights with Post-Game Fireworks, Beat Hot Tots 12-3 - La Crosse Loggers
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