The Battle Creek Bombers snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-2 win over the Kokomo Jackrabbits Thursday night.

 

Lyle Hibbitts was the star of the show for Battle Creek, throwing seven and a third innings while allowing only one earned run and another unearned run on six hits while striking out eight batters. Hibbitts, who worked his first seven innings without giving up a run, did not walk a batter his entire outing.

 

The Bombers jumped out to an early lead against Kokomo starting pitcher Parker Sisovsky in the third inning. RBI’s from Caleb Balgaard, John Malcom, and Trace Peterson highlighted a frame in which Battle Creek sent eight batters to the plate. With the scoring outburst, Battle Creek jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

 

After the offense gave him some run support, Hibbitts continued his dominance as he allowed only two base runners from the fourth through the seventh inning. He worked into trouble in the eighth, though. Three singles, including one from Austin Elder that scored two runs, brought Kokomo within one. Elder was not credited with an RBI, though, due to an error from center fielder Roy Thurman. After the Elder single, Pablo Arevalo came in to relieve Hibbitts. Arevalo struck out two of the three batters he faced to escape the eighth inning with a 3-2 lead.

 

Beaux Bonvillain was called on to work the ninth inning but struggled to finish off the Jackrabbits. A broken-bat single and throwing error set up an opportunity for Brandon Chinea with runners at the corners and only one out. Bonvillain was able to induce a ground ball to Kelby Weyler, and the shortstop stepped on second base before throwing to first to compete a game-ending double play.

 

Battle Creek has now won both of their home games in the second half of the 2019 Northwoods League season. They meet Kokomo again for the final of four consecutive games between the squads on Friday at 7:05 at C.O. Brown Stadium.

 

The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Currently in its’ 26^th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, over 200 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (MIA). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.