Article by Nevada Cullen, Photo by Melissa Vozar

BATTLE CREEK, MI — The Battle Creek Battle Jacks dropped to 5-1 in the I-94 Cup Series on Saturday. They lost to the Kalamazoo Growlers for the fourth straight game, 11-2.

After the Battle Creek offense was shut out for the first time this summer on Friday in Madison, it provided an immediate response in the first frame. Pat Mills laced an RBI double to right center, and Dillon Kark sliced an RBI single to left to give the Battle Jacks a 2-0 edge.

Kalamazoo collected three consecutive hits to start the second, with a Cole Russo RBI double to cut the deficit in half. But, Jace Matkin picked up an outfield assist, throwing out a runner at third to keep Battle Creek’s lead intact.

For two straight innings, the Growlers got the first three hitters to reach. Following a Trey Lipsey double for his second knock of the game, Ethan Ruiz drove him in with a game-tying single.

Dominic Hann fired four innings of two-run ball for the Battle Jacks. He did not walk a batter in his start.

Eventually, Kalamazoo took its first lead of the evening in the fifth. A pair of errors gave the Growlers a 3-2 edge.

Then, Russo led off the sixth with a double, his third hit of the game for Kalamazoo. An RBI single for Lipsey, his third hit, plated Russo, and a couple steals of home made it a 6-2 game.

Kalamazoo scored five more in the eighth. Russo notched his fourth knock of the game and drove in his second run with an RBI single.