By: Pat Mullen
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc.- The Bomber’s dads had something to celebrate this Father’s Day as Battle Creek played a very good baseball game, coming out on top 6-3.
After falling behind on a two run homerun in the second, the Bombers dropped a four spot in the fifth inning and never looked back.
“That was a good team win, you know,” Coach Trivett said. “TJ Hillman came in and had 6 or 7 putouts and played really solid defensively. It was a well-rounded game.”
Hillman (Texas-Arlington) also started that fourth inning rally after smoking a ball to third base and hustling down on a wild throw to first.
The Bombers batted around in the fifth as Joey Havrilak (Akron), Spencer Thornton (San Diego State) and Matt Dacey (Richmond) all contributed to the cause.
“I haven’t played a lot lately so I figured getting in there and seeing the first pitch, really if it was a fastball I was going to tack a hack,” Havrilak, hitting in the leadoff spot, said after the win.
Havrilak did a great job in the one hole, going 2-4 with a two runs scored.
Batting behind him was Thornton who also had a big day at the plate. He had two RBI hits, one being a double (a bomb), that hit the centerfield wall, missing a homerun by just a few feet.
It was not just the bats that showed up for the Bombsquad.
Kyle Slack (Toledo) had another very impressive outing on the mound, hurling 7 innings.
Slack gave up three runs (one earned) with four strikeouts and a big goose-egg in the walk column, something that has troubled the Bombers pitching staff this season.
“Slack was amazing today,” Coach Trivett said. “You know, he is just continuing to get better the last couple starts and he really located his fastball so well.”
Slack himself added “I threw a lot of strikes and they got themselves out. The inside fastball was a big pith for me today and I was able to go off that pretty well.”
He was also very pleased to see the run support after giving up a two-run homerun in the second.
“It was really nice. We went down early but they (the offense) were able to score some runs for me and give me some support… give me a reason to really go out there and shut them down to win.”
Overall, the Bombers went 2-2 on their first real road trip of the season and go to 9-11 overall.
They look to take two games from the Green Bay Bullfrogs back at Bailey Park as they face off tomorrow night at C.O. Brown Stadium. First pitch is 7:05 ET.
Game Notes:
WP: Kyle Slack (2-1): 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 4 K
Joey Havrilak: 2-4, BB, 2 R, SB
Spencer Thornton: 2-5, 2B, SB, 2 R, 2 RBI
Matt Dacey: 0-2, 3 BB, RBI
Cody Kuzniczci (Northern Kentucky): 1-4, BB, R, RBI
Coach Trivett adding on Kyle Slack’s performance…
“He worked ahead in the count to something we are really stressing to the pitching staff, and he worked it to the tee.”
Also, Coach Trivett discussing Joey Havrilak a bit more…
“Joey is a guy I want here at the end of the season. He has really paid his dues here and hasn’t really played the last number of days. But he is one of those guys that stays the course, shows up and never gets too high or too low. He is a really, really good baseball player.”
