The Battle Creek Battle Jacks move to 10-5 on the season and remain in first place in the Great Lakes East after winning game one of the double header against the Rockford Rivets. The nine to six final score was a lot closer than the actual game.

The Battle Jacks were able to strike first in the second inning when Dillon Kark scored on a Rafael Gomez reached on error. However, the first five innings of the game were a pitcher’s duel as Rockford’s Kent Evan Jr. and Battle Creek’s Brett Sanchez battled it out. There were a combined five hits and one run given up between the two of them. Finally in the sixth, the Battle Jacks gave Sanchez a cushion, as they exploded for five runs in the inning. Isaiah Gibbs got it started with an RBI double, scoring Kark. James Canar added fuel to the fire with a 2 RBI double. Joey Grabanski finished it off driving in two more as Battle Creek took a six to nothing lead.

They would score three more in the following two innings with a Patrick Mills and Gomez single. They would need all of those runs as the Rivets scored six in the bottom of the ninth inning, lead by a Colton Klein grand slam. It wouldn’t matter as Caleb Lenoux shut the door and secured the victory.

Sanchez was the player of the game, going 6.2 innings, only allowing five hits, while also striking out five. His breaking ball was disgusting, catching the Rockford hitters out on their front foot. He’s thrown his hat in the ring for Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night with that performance.

The Battle Jacks will play game two of the double header at 7:35 eastern standard time tonight.