The Battle Creek Bombers defeated the Kokomo Jackrabbits 8-3 at home in their first fireworks game of the season.

A three run second inning for the Bombers got the scoring going tonight. Kokomo starter Creede Jeffers walked the first two Bombers in the frame and then a single from Hunter Ruhstorfer loaded the bases for catcher Rhett McCall. McCall worked an 11 pitch walk to score one. Kelby Weyler offered a sac-fly to right field to score another and then a wild pitch would score Ruhstorfer before the inning ended.

Trailing 3-0 in the third, Kokomo center fielder Denzel Clarke hit a solo home run to bring the Jackrabbits within two. Kokomo would strike again in the frame bringing the score to 3-2.

Josh Sears responded for the Bombers in the bottom half of the frame with a solo home run of his own to regain a two run lead for Battle Creek.

Bomber’s starting pitcher Ty Shoaff continued to deal well throughout the middle of the contest not allowing another run until the 6th. It was after that run Shoaff was replaced by Pablo Arevalo. Shoaff would finish with five innings pitched allowing three earned runs but striking out eight.

The Bombers added to their four runs with four more in the bottom of the 7th. After a single, an intentional Sears walk and a hit-by-pitch, Kolby Johnson notched his first two RBIs of the season with a two out single to right field. Johnson would steal to put runners at 2nd and 3rd for Hunter Ruhstorfer who reached safely off a costly error at the hands of Jackrabbits third baseman Logan Jarvis, scoring two more.

Beaux Bonvillian would strike out three of four in the 8th and Amani Godfrey would force a pop-up followed by a single and two strikeouts to close out the win for the Battle Creek Bombers.

The Bombers move to 4-8 on the season as the Jackrabbits fall to 6-6.

Battle Creek is back in action tomorrow night, on the road, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Currently in its’ 26th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 200 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (MIA). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.