By Nicholas Giannone | July 27th, 2026
BATTLE CREEK, MI — An offensive breakout from both sides led to an exciting game for fans, but at the end of the afternoon, the Battle Jacks held on for a 12-11 win.
The top of the first inning saw the Growlers strike first as they scored four runs, walking in four straight batters before Keagen Kohlhoff was pulled before the end of the inning.
However, the bottom half of the first inning saw the Battle Jacks crawl back and take a 5-4 lead after scoring five runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by a two-run home run from AJ Lucas.
The Growlers tied the game during the top of the second, off a leadoff home run from Brock Sell, but the Battle Jacks responded for the second straight inning, scoring three runs off an RBI double from Dayne Wimberly to extend the lead to 8-5.
Both teams scored three runs in the fifth as the Growlers tied it for a third straight time before the Battle Jacks regained the lead, as they took a 11-8 lead.
The Battle Jacks scored an insurance run in the seventh as they extended the lead to 12-8, with the game feeling under control for Battle Creek; the Growlers fought back in the ninth, making the game interesting, scoring two runs in the ninth, while a diving play from Marcus Dierks secured the victory for the Battle Jacks.
The Battle Jacks are back in action on Tuesday as they head to Richmond for a two-game set before returning to Battle Creek for a four game homestand.
