Both Thunder Bay and Madison swept their best-of-three divisional series Wednesday with a home victory. Thunder Bay scored three runs in the ninth for a dramatic 4-3 win over Mankato. Madison exploded in the middle innings for a 14-5 victory against Wisconsin.

Ryan Terry (Monmouth) was the star of the game for Thunder Bay, first homering in the eighth inning to bring the Border Cats deficit to 3-1. In the ninth, he drove in a run with a single to make it 3-2. The next batter Connor Lind (Furman) reached on an infield single on a high chopper to MoonDog shortstop Bobby Munoz (Saint Leo). Munoz muffed the ball and then threw it away on a last moment effort to get Lind out a first, which would have ended the game. Instead Terry came all the way around, scoring from first, and ended the game in the Border Cats favor. Jimmy Reyes (Elon) struck out 11 for Mankato in 7.1 innings on the hill. He allowed just four hits and one run. Mike Lobacz (Elon) hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning for Mankato.

Wisconsin took the first lead in the game at Madison, 1-0 in the second inning, but Madison struck quickly and often to pull away in this one. Drew Martin (NC State) hit a two-run homer in the second. Luke Stewart (Alabama-Birmingham) launched a solo homer in the fourth, his second of the series, to give the Mallards a 4-2 lead. After Wisconsin brought their deficit to 5-4 in the sixth inning the Mallards put six runs on the board in the bottom of the frame to take an 11-4 lead. It was a very balanced attack by Madison with four players scoring at least two runs and four players driving in exactly two runs. Aaron Bray (Charlotte) scored three times out of the leadoff spot and was the only Mallard with three hits in the game; they totaled 15 hits as a team. A three-run seventh inning completed the scoring at 14-5.

NWL Championship Series Schedule
Thunder Bay at Madison, Friday, 7:05 PM Central
Madison at Thunder Bay, Saturday, 7:05 PM Eastern
Madison at Thunder Bay, Sunday, 7:05 PM Eastern, if necessary

Madison Mallards NWL Championship Series Media Notes and Preview

Madison’s Alex Rivers (Santa Clara) flirted with a no-hitter Tuesday in leading the Mallards to a 4-1 series opening victory against the Wisconsin Woodchucks. Rivers [pictured] didn’t allow a hit until there was one out in the eighth inning when Terrance Jackson (North Central) got to him with a sharp single to left field. He allowed two hits in all and left the game after pitching 7.2 innings and striking out ten. Phil Gosselin (Virginia) hit a three-run home run in the third inning to open the scoring for Madison. Luke Stewart (Alabama-Birmingham) followed with a solo shot in the fourth. Jake Waddle (Luther) tripled in the eighth inning to knock home the only Woodchuck run. (photo #1 credit Jim Addis, Madison Mallards, photos #2-4 credit Ricky Bassman)

Thunder Bay rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to win game one of the North Divisional Playoffs 5-3 at Mankato. Derek Wiley (Belmont) drove in the two runs with a single. Thunder Bay had led by a run in the eighth inning until Kyle Knudson (Minnesota) drove in a run with an infield single. Seth Frankoff (UNC-Wilmington) went 5.1 innings and didn’t allow an earned run for Thunder Bay. Brendan Lafferty (UCLA) tossed seven innings for Mankato allowing just one earned run and three hits while striking out eight. Jimmy Stanley (Belmont) picked up the win out of relief for Thunder Bay.

The La Crosse Loggers took 2 of 3 from the Wisconsin Woodchucks but the one win was enough to clinch the South division and a spot to play the Madison Mallards in the playoffs.

The Green Bay Bullfrogs ended their 2008 home season with an exciting extra innings win on Saturday night beating the Wisconsin Woodchucks 6 to 5. The win moved the Bullfrogs to within 1 1/2 games of Wisconsin with 3 games left. Wisconsin will travel to La Crosse for 3 games while Green Bay will head to Eau Claire for 3.

Bobby Pritchett pitched 7 innings and only gave up 2 runs on 3 hits as the Wisconsin Woodchucks beat the Green Bay Bullfrogs 8 to 4 to knock the Bullfrogs back to 2 1/2 games behind the Woodchucks. Waterloo won however to stay 1 1/2 back. Troy Frazier had 3 RBI for the Woodchucks, including a 2 run home run, his 9th of the season. The teams meet again on Saturday as Green Bay ends its home season and looks to split the 4 game series.

As of last night I’ve seen at least one game at every Northwoods League park in 2008. It took me awhile, but I got it done and was able to see a very interesting game in Battle Creek, Michigan. Brian Cavazos-Galvez (New Mexico) put on a show offensively going 5-for-5, Tillman Pugh (Arizona State) made what might be the catch of the year in the Northwoods League robbing Waterloo’s Joey Register (Texas A&M) of a home run on a ball hit along the left field line, and the benches cleared very briefly in the eighth inning. 

Battle Creek’s C.O. Brown Stadium is a part of Bailey Park, which ranks as one of the best amateur baseball facilities in the country. Regionals for the Stan Musial World Series were being played at adjacent fields last night.

I took a few photos last night that are posted below. C.O. Brown Stadium’s deck area is massive and has several levels. They added a fan deck to the existing deck prior to this season. Fans have the option of purchasing the fan deck ticket for all you can eat and drink or enjoying the deck experience while purchasing items a la carte.

The Bombers State of Michigan liquor license allows them to keep the party going until well after the conclusion of the game. Fans used their extra time to build a pyramid of used beer cups on Thirsty Thursday at C.O. Brown Stadium.

Chris Slater had 3 RBI on Thursday night to lead the Wisconsin Woodchucks over the Green Bay Bullfrogs 6 to 1 and helped the Woodchucks extend their division lead to 1.5 games. Brad Allen got his first win of the summer as he went 5 innings and gave up 3 hits. Jon Karcich picked up the lone RBI for the Bullfrogs and Jason Dovel was tagged with the loss. The teams meet again Friday and Saturday in Green Bay as this series continues to help decide the South division title.

The Green Bay Bullfrogs set another attendance record on Wednesday night but more importantly they inched closer in the South division standings. The previous attendance record was shattered by about 300 people as 2,319 fans showed up and were treated to an offensive explosion by the Bullfrogs as they won 12 to 3. Green Bay scored 6 runs in two seperate innings and behind a solid pitching performance by Matt Lange, that was enough to coast to a victory and close to a half game of the first place Woodchucks. They continue their 4 game series in Wausau tonight.

Dave Geiger pitched a solid game and picked up his first Northwoods League win on Tuesday night as the Wisconsin Woodchucks beat the Battle Creek Bombers 5 to 1. The win keeps Wisconsin in first place and extends their lead to 1.5 games over Waterloo and Green Bay. The Woodchucks will play the Green Bay Bullfrogs the next 4 nights, which will be very a pivotol time in the South division.

Home runs by Dusty Harvard and AJ Shindler were enough to push the Battle Creek Bombers over the Wisconsin Woodchucks on Monday night, beating them 5 to 3.  Parker Berberet hit a two-run double to right center in the top of the 9th inning off of Rob Currie to put the Bombers ahead for good. These teams meet again tomorrow night, which will decide even more in the jammed South division.