The Battle Creek Bombers couldn’t hold on to a three-run lead for the second time in two nights as they fell to the Traverse City Pit Spitters 14-4 Friday night.

The Bombers got out to an early advantage in the bottom of the first. Josh Sears reached with a two-out single before John Malcom delivered his second home run of the season over the right-center field wall in Traverse City. Battle Creek would add one more run in the top half of the second inning, as leadoff hitter Jack Merrifield plated Erik Owen with a sacrifice groundout. Traverse City starter Austin Shea then settled down, and did not allow any further runs in his five innings of work.

The Pit Spitters offense went to work in the bottom of the fourth inning, putting up two runs off of a triple from Michael Slaten and a single from Jake Wilson. Amani Godfrey began the fifth inning, but was unable to record an out as Traverse City threatened again. Slaten worked a bases-loaded walk to tie the game off of reliever Pablo Arevalo, and an Andrew Morrow sacrifice fly gave the Pit Spitters a lead that they would not relinquish. Jake Wilson added a sacrifice groundout, and Traverse City led it 5-2. 

Arevalo would work the sixth inning without giving up a run, but Traverse City’s offense exploded in the seventh. The Pit Spitters sent twelve batters to the plate against three different Bombers pitchers in a nine-run frame to blow the game open. The frame was highlighted by a three-run triple from Slaten, who advanced home on a Battle Creek error. Slaten ended the game with a team-leading five RBI. 

Battle Creek would add one more run in the top of the eighth inning as John Malcom delivered his third RBI of the season, driving in Josh Sears with an RBI double. The Pit Spitters would hold on to win by ten, though, to tie their largest margin of victory this season. The victory was Traverse City’s seventh consecutive win, as they expanded their lead at the top of the Great Lakes East division.

Battle Creek returns to action on Saturday night for a doubleheader at Rivets Stadium in Loves Park, Illinois against the Rockford Rivets.

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