By Luke Tanaka, Radio Broadcaster

Battle Creek, Mich. – The Battle Creek Bombers dropped the tail end of their doubleheader with the Waterloo Bucks, this time on the wrong end of a 1-0 final score. 

The Bombers and Bucks combined for just two runs and 17 hits in their doubleheader split. 

Both pitching staffs held the opposing lineup scoreless through the first six innings in game two. Battle Creek recorded one hit in each of the first four innings and stranded six runners in scoring position throughout the contest. Waterloo stranded seven total runners in the game and five in scoring position. 

Andrew Mitchell (Delgado CC) was stellar in his third start this season. The left-hander threw six innings of scoreless baseball, allowing five hits and one walk, while striking out seven. Michael Petersen (Riverside CC) relieved Mitchell in the seventh. 

Against Petersen, the Bucks scored the go-ahead run without recording a hit. Petersen hit Weston Hatten (Washington State) with a pitch. The Buck was sacrificed to second and reached third on a groundout. With Mikal Hill (Winston-Salem St.) batting, Hatten scored on a passed ball. That’s all the offense that Waterloo would need to earn the victory. 

The Bombers’ best scoring chance came in the sixth inning. Charlie Madden (Mercer) singled and was sacrificed to second. A single from Dre Gleason (Austin Peay) put runners on the corners, but Lin Li (Taiwan) struck out and Niko Pacheco (Cal State Fullerton) was robbed of a hit by the third baseman Zach McKinstry (Central Michigan). 

With the loss, the Bombers fall to 8-11 on the season, while Waterloo improves to 12-8. 

Tomorrow, the Bombers welcome the Madison Mallards for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. It is also Make It Matter Monday, Downtown Battle Creek Night presented by CCDC and The City of Battle Creek, Youth Soccer Night, and American Politics Night.

The Battle Creek Bombers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball, 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). For more information, visit www.battlecreekbombers.com.

(Story photo courtesy of Battle Creek Photography and Design – Levi Green)