KALAMAZOO, Mich – The 2016 Rockford Rivets never, ever, do it the easy way.
That has not been more true than it was Saturday, as the Rivets turned a double play with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to hold on and beat the Kalamazoo Growlers 5-4 at Homer Stryker Field and force the final playoff spot to be decided on the regular seasons’ final day.
Through seven innings, it could not have gone better for the Rivets. Cory Wright (Parkland CC) was cruising and the Rivets had a 5-0 lead in part thanks to a home run and two runs batted in by Jack Wassel (Geneva HS) against Kalamzoo starter Blaine Fisher (1-2). But in the eighth, Kalamazoo rallied against Wright (5-3). Connor Kopach (Southern Illinois), Dan Robinson (Central Michigan), and Kasey Cooper (Arkansas Fort-Smith) all singled. Jay Smith (Kalamazoo Valley CC) then singled home a run and Darius Coldiron (Coker College) singled home two to make it 5-3.
In the ninth, the Rivets’ season just about slipped away. Sam Griggs (Southern Indiana) and Kopach both walked before Nick Hutchins (Southern Illinois) reached on an error to load the bases against Rivets reliever Jeff Woods (Aurora University). Robinson then walked to make it 5-4 with one out. Cooper then had a nine-pitch at-bat before lining a ball toward the middle, where Rockford shortstop Ryan Long (Texas Tech) fielded the ball, stepped on second, and threw to first for the game ending double play, earning Woods his first save.
The Rivets will wrap up the regular season against the Kalamazoo Growlers at Homer Stryker Field Sunday at 4:05. Broadcasts and live streams can be found at NorthwoodsLeague.com.
Rockford is a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League, which will play its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2016. The Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (Chicago White Sox), Jordan Zimmermann (Detroit Tigers), Curtis Granderson (New York Mets), Lucas Duda (Mets) and Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website, NorthwoodsLeague.com. For more information, visit RockfordRivets.com.
