Northwoods La Crosse Loggers

Loggers Walk off on Mallards

July 3, 2013 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
La Crosse Loggers News Release


La Crosse, WI - It took a full nine innings but the La Crosse Loggers (21-13) defeated the first-place Madison Mallards (20-12) in front of 2,819 Copeland Crazies on Tuesday night.

Consecutive base hits by John LaPrise (single) and Joe McCarthy (double) set the stage for Bre Kimbell right away in the top of the first inning. Logger starter Ben Cejka (UW-La Crosse) threw a 2-1 fastball down the middle and Kimbell shot it right at third baseman Connor Teykl (Rice). The ball sprung out of the freshman's glove and ended up in shallow left field, scoring both LaPrise and McCarthy.

The early lead did not faze La Crosse. Eric Toole (Iowa) led off the bottom of the first with a walk. After Mike Nadratowski (Grand Valley State) grounded into a fielder's choice and stole second, the sophomore scored on Michael Katz' (William and Mary) seeing-eye single.

In the bottom of the second the Loggers struck again. Jamie Nunn walked Zack Rivera (Long Beach State) to begin the frame. After the next two batters were retired, Teykl redeemed himself with an RBI-double down the left field line.

Nunn subsequently hit Toole and Nadratowski, loading the bases for La Crosse's hottest hitter: Kevin Zak (Grand Valley State). Zak, who entered riding a 16-game hitting streak, lined the 1-0 fastball into right field, scoring two and giving La Crosse a 4-2 lead.

The lead did not last long. The first three Mallards reached base on a hit and two walks. After an RBI sac fly by Mallards catcher Jason Goldstein, back-to-back singles scored two more.

With two down in the bottom of the fifth, Johnny Bekakis (Long Beach State) hit his fourth round tripper of the summer, tying the game at 5-5.

Bobby Juan came on in relief of Cejka in the fourth and pitched tremendously for four innings. Juan surrendered four hits but did not walk a single batter and struck out three. While he is typically used in the outfield or at the DH position, Juan has now pitched five scoreless innings this season.

The last six innings looked absolutely nothing like the first three. Heading into the top of the ninth, the only run in the previous five innings came on Bekakis' solo shot.

Jonathan Van Eaton (Memphis) surrendered just a single to LaPrise in the top of the ninth. LaPrise finished the night a perfect 5-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, Madison opted to leave right hander Hunter May in to face the middle of La Crosse's order. That would not turn out well.

Zak looked at four straight pitches and took his free pass to first, bringing up Michael Katz.

Katz looked at two fastballs right down the middle, putting himself in hefty hole. Irregardless, the sophomore smoked the ball into the left-center gap and Zak narrowly beat the throw in to seal the win.

Van Eaton picked up the win after pitching two scoreless frames in relief.

The hero of the night, Katz, finished 3-4 with two RBI's.

La Crosse and Madison will be back in action tomorrow night as they battle for the first half title! The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 and the gates will open at 6:00pm; the first 500 fans will receive a Chris Sale bobble head.



Northwoods League Stories from July 3, 2013


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