Northwoods La Crosse Loggers

Loggers Win 3-2, Return the Favor by Snapping Rafters Eight-Game Win Streak

June 22, 2012 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
La Crosse Loggers News Release


LA CROSSE, WIS. - One night after the Rafters broke the Loggers' franchise record 11-game win streak, the Loggers stopped the Rafters win streak at eight games through a 3-2 victory in front of 3,862 fans at Copeland Park. Joe Meggs (Washington) secured the game for the Loggers by making a diving catch in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs that would have driven in at least the game-tying run. Bo Henning (Sacramento CC) had his streak end with 22 1/3 innings without an earned run by giving up two earned runs over 5 2/3 innings. Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) earned the win and Jonathan Van Eaton (Memphis) picked up his fourth save of the season. With the win, the Lumbermen remain undefeated at home with a 8-0 record.

After taking the lead in the bottom of the first inning through a RBI single by Tyler Kuresa (UC Santa Barbara), the Loggers would not score again until the seventh inning. Tommy Organ spread out eight Loggers hits over 5 1/3 innings and allowed the lone run, as well as striking out 7 batters. The Rafters capitalized on his pitching and scored two runs on Henning, one in the third inning and another in the sixth.

In the third inning, Brandon Hohl led off with a double down the left field line that made it to the wall and later scored on a fielder's choice to shortstop by Sean Godfrey. The Rafters had four consecutive singles in the sixth inning, with Jordan Dreiling and Pat Kelly standing on second base and first base, respectively, Brandon Downes singled to left field that drove in Dreiling. Austin Neary followed with a liner that hit the center field wall on one bounce, but Boomer Collins (Dallas Baptist) relayed a throw through Steven Pallares (San Diego State) to mow down Kelly at home. Dorris then came in to relieve Henning and was able to get out of the jam with a Joshua Cyr pop-up to first base in foul territory.

Dorris would throw a clean 2 1/3 innings, with no hits allowed and four strikeouts. With Dorris suppressing the Rafters' offense, the Loggers offense came back to life. Collins started the seventh inning with a single and then moved to third base on a botched pick-off attempt by Ronnie Muck. Two batters later, Kuresa picked up his second RBI by hitting a deep sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Collins to score his second run of the night. Kuresa ended the night 3-4 with 2 RBI. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Kenny Towns walked four straight batters, including what would be the winning run, with Pallares crossing home plate on a walk to Meggs. It is Towns first loss of the year.

Dorris handed the ball over to Van Eaton, who successfully navigated through the ninth after allowing a lead-off single by striking out two consecutive batters and the catch by Meggs.

The Loggers moved to 18-6 for the year, and the Rafters fell to 13-10. The rubber match of the three-game series will wrap up tomorrow evening at Copeland Park, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. TJ Kendzora (1-0) will take the mound for the Loggers and Kyle Wormington (0-1) will throw for the Rafters.



Northwoods League Stories from June 22, 2012


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