The Bismarck Larks entered Thursday night needing a win to keep their 2020 season going, and they pulled through, picking up a 9-2 win to force a third and decisive game Friday night. They weren’t the only ones who won a playoff game, as the Pit Spitters advanced to the Michigan pod championship game Saturday thanks to a 6-3 win.
Michigan Pod
Kalamazoo Mac Daddies 3 Battle Creek Bombers 1
The Mac Daddies were outhit on Thursday night, but they managed to post three runs on the scoreboard. Shawn Goosenberg (Northwestern) was 2-3, with a double while Kyle Ashworth (Cal Poly), Anthony Calarco (Northwestern) and Ethan O’Donnell (Northwestern) all had a hit and an RBI. Parker Sisovsky (Kalamazoo College) threw five innings for the Mac Daddies, allowing one run on five hits with five strikeouts to pick up the win. He gave way to Tanner Knapp (Kalamazoo Valley CC), who threw four scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Traverse City Pit Spitters 6 Great Lakes Resorters 3
The Pit Spitters scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to rally and beat the Resorters Thursday night to clinch a spot in the Michigan Pod championship game. Tommy Troy (Stanford) had a big game for Traverse City, going 3-4 at the plate, with a run scored and two RBI. Keaton Peck (Grand Rapids CC) went 2-4, with a run scored and an RBI while Brant Kym (Hope College) had the other RBI for the Spitters. Dalton O’Boyle (Davenport University) got the start, throwing three innings, allowing two runs on a hit with four strikeouts. Evan Gates (North Carolina A&T) picked up the win, throwing two scoreless innings, with a pair of strikeouts.
North Dakota Pod
Bismarck Larks 9 Mandan Flickertails 2
The Larks scored five runs in the top of the sixth to slide past the Flickertails, evening the North Dakota pod championship series and setting up a winner-take-all game Friday night for the trophy. Cole Hage (Columbia) had a monster game for Bismarck, going 4-5, with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Cal James (Mary) was 2-4 with a pair of RBI, along with Adam Axtell (Point Loma Nazarene). Paxton Miller (University of Mary) threw five innings for the Larks, allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts to pick up the win. Andrew Brooks (University of Mary) threw four shutout innings to close out the game.
Friday, September 4 schedule
Kalamazoo Mac Daddies at Kalamazoo Growlers 6:35 p.m. ET
Mandan Flickertails at Bismarck Larks 7:05 p.m.
