FOND DU LAC, WI- The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (27-18) picked up their first ever sweep over the Kalamazoo Growlers (27-18) 6-5. Fond du Lac is now 5-1 in the state of Michigan this season.
Jacob Kostyshock (Arkansas) got the start on the hill for Fondy and would get credit with the win working through 5 innings giving up six hits and two earned runs.
Kalamazoo was off with an early 2-0 lead which they carried into the 5th inning. Troy Black (Kentucky) pick up the first hit of the inning and would score the first run for the Spiders scoring on an error from the lefty fielder. The second run of the ball game would be scored on a balk. With the score tied at 2-2 heading into the 6th Fond du Lac would take over.
The first five batters in the 6th for the Spiders all reached on base. Alex Erro (Northwestern) picked up his team leading twenty first RBI on the season sending home the leading run with a base hit. One batter to follow Sam Cohen (UC Santa Barbara) sent home two more blasting one into right field which gave the Dock Spiders a 5-2 to lead. Jack Wassel (Minnesota) would send Erro home on a sacrifice fly to center for the 6th run of the ball game.
The Growlers cut away at the lead when they grabbed three runs in the 7th. The three runs would not be enough as the Dock Spiders had solid pitching from the bullpen late in the game as well as stellar defense.
Michael Hope (Shippensburg) the same day he earned a spot into the Northwoods League All Star Game grabbed his 4th save of the season as he retired the side in the 9th.
Fond du Lac will stay in Michigan and will head 28 miles to Battle Creek for a two game stand. Game one tomorrow will be played 6:05 PM.
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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,more than 190 former 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 (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.dockspiders.comor 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.
