BC starting pitcher Jackson Braden (Article by Brendan Nordstrom, Photo by Melissa Vozar)

BATTLE CREEK, MI — In the final game before the All-Star Break, the Battle Jacks fell in 11 innings to the Great Lake West’s Fond du Lac Dock Spiders in a 4-3 game.

Fond du Lac struck first after Andrew Sojka struck a double to right and Branden Comia hit an RBI single to right field for an early 1-0 lead.

The Battle Jacks quickly answered in the bottom of the first with just one hit, thanks to All-Star Patrick Mills taking a ball up the middle. The Jacks benefitted from back-to-back errors to score a couple of runs and take the lead.

The Dock Spiders were the beneficiary of a Battle Creek error in the fourth. There were five errors total in the first four innings as the game was a 3-2 contest.

Battle Jacks SP Jackson Braden ended his outing with 3.2 IP allowing only one earned run and striking out four.

The Battle Jacks battled back in the seventh to tie the game up after Charlie Rhee worked a walk, advanced on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch.

The Battle Jacks nearly walked it off in the bottom of the ninth before shortstop Branden Comia made an incredible play to retire Joey Grabanski at first.

BC reliever Cole Altherr kept the Dock Spiders scoreless in the tenth, but with bases loaded and two outs for the Jacks, they were unable to walk away winners in the bottom half of the frame.

The Dock Spiders scored Daylen Reyes after All-Star Nick Mitchell hit an RBI-single into right. Altherr shut down the next three batters, but it was too late as Battle Creek could not answer in the bottom of the eleventh, falling 4-3.

Standouts at the plate for Battle Creek include Charlie Rhee, who went 2-4 with a double, walk, and HBP; Aaron Dolney, who reached base in five of six plate appearances; and Joey Grabanski, who went 2-5.

The Battle Jacks will enjoy a three-day rest for the All-Star Break as they return to action on Thursday, July 21 at 6:35 EST against the Kalamazoo Growlers back at MCCU Field.