By Sedric Granger<\/b><\/p>\n
Battle Creek, MI – The Battle Creek Battle Jacks flipped the script on their late game struggles to take down the first place Green Bay Rockers, 5-3, on Father\u2019s Day. This is the second series in a row in which the Battle Jacks have taken down a team that was leading their division.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Going into the matchup, Field Manager Chris Clark knew that the team needed to make some adjustments.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYesterday was one of the first days that I was disappointed in the competitiveness of our at bats.\u201d said Clark before the game with conviction. \u201cI had a discussion with the team about that. Offensively, we are going to do a much better job competing today in the box.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The Battle Jacks backed up Clark\u2019s words by generating better plate appearances whether by driving up the pitch count, taking pitches that were away from the zone, or swinging at favorable pitches. Although the Battle Jacks only scored two runs last night, the improved offensive prowess resulted in five runs coming across the plate on ten base hits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Despite the win, Green Bay made the game a huge challenge for Battle Creek, especially early on. The Rockers took a one run lead on three separate occasions in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th innings. However, the Battle Jacks had a response each time. For the second day in a row, Brock Daniels (Missouri) was a spark plug for the Battle Jacks offense.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI see the ball up, try to get it on time, and put a good swing on it,\u201d said Daniels with a smile. \u201cI wake up in the morning, I put my socks on and try to go out there and hit a double.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Daniels hammered three doubles throughout the series, including two in the, 5-3, victory. Daniels finished the day two-for-four at the plate with two runs scored and a stolen base. Overall, Kyle Ratliff (SIUE), Jake Allgeyer (Western Illinois), Charlie Rhee (San Diego State), and Dave Alleva (West Chester) each drove in a run for the Jacks. In addition, Spencer Verburg (Central Michigan), Blake McRae (Eastern Michigan), and Fisher Pyatt (Central Arizona College) scored runs for the Battle Jacks. Although the Blue and White struggled to score in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings throughout the season, the offense surged for three runs late in the game to give the pitching staff the run support they needed to finish off the Rockers.<\/span><\/p>\n Hunter Varnadoe (Middle Georgia State) and Dylan Howanitz (West Chester) combined to throw nine solid innings for Battle Creek. Varnadoe earned the win, pitching a quality start by yielding only three earned runs in a season high seven innings of work. The right-handed pitcher out of Middle Georgia State gave a lot of credit to the defense behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI was grinding today, and I told Coach Clark at the end of the sixth that I got one more for you,\u201d said Varnadoe triumphantly. \u201cThe defense behind me was big time. I did not have all my punch out stuff today, so I relied on my ground ball stuff today. The defense got it done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Howanitz earned his fourth save of the season, pitching two shutout innings in the 8th and 9th. Howanitz continues to be one of the top relief pitchers for the Battle Jacks.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou have to be comfortable in the uncomfortable situations in baseball. Since that is something that I did at West Chester, I was used to it,\u201d said Howanitz when asked about his mentality on the mound. \u201cWhen you got a group of teammates that you love so much, you do it for them more than you do yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n