Sophomore's Big Day Propels Loggers to Win
Published on July 28, 2013 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
La Crosse Loggers News Release
LA CROSSE, WI -- Behind a big game from third baseman Nick Day (Iowa), La Crosse defeated the Alexandria Blue Anchors by a score of 7-3, Sunday evening.
La Crosse starter Derek Gordon got himself in a jam right away in the top of the first. After walking Keegan Dale to begin the game, he gave up a 0-2 single to Dalton Leuschke. Dale and Leuschke then executed a double-steal to perfection, putting runners at second and third with no outs.
Gordon then dug deep and managed to induce a ground out and fly out by Alexandria's three & four hitters. With two on and two outs, the junior got catcher Michael Barash to pop out to first baseman Michael Katz (William and Mary) to end the threat.
Shortstop Brandon DeFazio got the ball rolling for La Crosse in the bottom of the first. The future San Diego Torero hit Kevin Hatcher's 3-1 fastball off the right field wall for a triple. A Kevin Zak (Grand Valley State) ground out scored DeFazio and gave the Loggers an early 1-0 lead.
The Loggers added two more to their lead in the bottom of the second. Day started things out with his second home run of the season. Troy Traxler (Minnesota) and Steven Moen (Sonoma State) collected consecutive singles to follow up the big fly. Lead-off man Eric Toole (Iowa) then grounded into a double play, but Traxler did score La Crosse's third run of the night on the play.
Gordon got into a groove after the first inning jam. The 6-5 righty retired ten-out-of-eleven at one point, requiring just 30 pitches to do so.
Alexandria capitalized on a defensive miscue in the top of the fourth. All-Star Albert Baur flied out to center fielder Johnny Bekakis (Long Beach State) to begin the frame, but things went south from there. A grounder off the bat Barash went under Kevin Zak's glove for the lone Logger error of the game--a costly one at that.
Four of the next five batters would reach base via base hit, capped off by a 2-RBI double by Dale. All-in-all, the Blue Anchors would score three unearned runs in the inning.
The Lumbermen broke the 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fifth. Katz roped a double over the center fielder's head for his second hit of the ball game. After Bekakis flew out to the warning track in left, Zack Rivera (Long Beach State) doubled down the third base line to score Katz and take a 4-3 lead.
Gordon pitched a 1-2-3 top of the sixth inning to secure his second straight quality start. The Park University product scattered seven hits and a walk, while striking out seven in his first victory of the summer.
Cameron Rowland (Diablo Valley CC) pitched two scoreless innings in relief for La Crosse. He struck out three and lowered his ERA to 3.65 on the summer.
Michael Lowden (California) came on and threw a one-two-three top of the ninth, which included two strike outs. The junior's ERA continues to drop and it now sits at a shining 2.76.
La Crosse scored three more runs in the bottom of the seventh when Day doubled off of the left field wall with the bases juiced. The sophomore finished the game 2-4 with the home run, double and tied his season-high with four RBI.
Following a day off on Monday, the Lumbermen will be back in action against Alexandria on Tuesday night. Gates will open at 6:00 for the 7:05 game.
Northwoods League Stories from July 28, 2013
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