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Published On: July 2nd, 2026

By Sebastian Alsing | July 2nd, 2026

ROYAL OAK, MI — The Battle Creek Battle Jacks played the Royal Oak Leprechauns on the road to kick off a two-game series at the Lucky Corner, dropping the game, 10-7. They fell for their 9th time in a row, highlighted by a big inning for Royal Oak in the 2nd.

It was scoreless until a long bottom of the 2nd inning where we’d see the first score, with Royal Oak’s Tate Deal knocking in a run on a single to left field. It would then be Mateo Noto stealing home safely to add on a second run for the Leprechauns, and a base hit RBI from Carson Raether to extend the lead further. Mason Barth kept the inning rolling for the Leprechauns with an RBI-single, a run came home on a wild pitch, and a two-RBI double from Luke Kosko broke it open even more. It was a Royal Oak 7-0 advantage after 2 innings.

The Leprechauns kept up the pressure with an 8th run off the bat of Connor Larkin in the 4th inning, and the Battle Jacks would then take their own goose egg off the board in the 5th when Thomas Cooper doubled to drive home Brendan Thompson. Royal Oak immediately fired back in the bottom of the inning, with a miscued throw from Kyle Hartmann that allowed Mateo Noto to score.

The Leprechauns defense would escape a bases-loaded situation in the 7th, where Blake Ilitch got his mojo on the mound and secured two consecutive strikeouts on Dayne Wimberly and AJ Lucas. They’d get right back on the offense, taking advantage of a misthrow from Kyle Hartmann behind the dish to score Carson Raether to enter a double-digit run count.

A bases-loaded walk for the Battle Jacks would finally get them their second run of the game in the 8th, with Kyle Hartmann waltzing home. Another base-on-balls would drive in Sonnier Moses, and the Jacks cut their deficit down to 7.

It was scoreless through the rest of the game, and the Leprechauns secured the win. Battle Creek had 3 hits and 2 errors in the loss.

The Battle Jacks are back in Royal Oak tomorrow at 6:35 P.M. ET, closing out the series against the Leprechauns before they head to Rockford.