By John Baldridge/ Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
Kalamazoo, MI- An offensive explosion on Sunday for the Dock Spiders at Kalamazoo setting a season high for hits and runs, allowed the Dock Spiders to take game one over Kalamazoo 11-2. With the win, the Dock Spiders moved to 5-7 on the season.
Dock Spiders took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning with a two-run homer from Drew Prosek (Gulf Coast State), his first home run of the season. In the third inning, the Dock Spiders increased their lead by adding three runs with two RBI singles from Parker Knoll (Lawrence) and Drew Barragan (Embry-Riddle) and a solo home run in the fourth inning from Tyler Stack (Xavier) to left field his first of the season that made the score 6-0.
Kalamazoo got one back in the fourth with a sac-fly scoring Brodey Acres (Walsh) who singled to start the inning the only hit allowed by Justin Roitman (Ellsworth CC) (1-1), Roitman who started for Fond du Lac and went 4.2 innings struck out four and picked up his first win.
The Dock Spiders added to their lead in the sixth inning with an RBI flyout from Caden Shapiro (Princeton) that scored Drew Prosek which increased the lead to 7-1. In the seventh, Kalamazoo got a run back with a wild pitch from Jacob Bosse (St. Ambrose) that scored Jeremy Comer (Tennessee) which made the score 7-2. The Dock Spiders bullpen in relief went 4.1 innings with Jacob Arndt (Missouri-St. Louis), Jacob Bosse, and Noah Tschopp (Embry-Riddle) who combined for two hits allowed.
In the ninth inning, the Dock Spiders added to their lead putting four runs across in the inning with an RBI double from Parker Knoll (Lawrence) and the first home run of the season to left field for Drew Barragan (Embry Riddle) to set the final score at 11-2.
Dock Spiders will play two games tomorrow wrapping up their Michigan trip, with the resumption of Saturday’s game at Battle Creek from the top of the second inning starting at 12:35 CT, then the Dock Spiders will bus to Kalamazoo for game two with the Growlers beginning at 5:35 CT.
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Entering its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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 350 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit dockspiders.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Dock Spiders as your favorite team
