By John Baldridge/Fond du Lac Dock Spiders

Kalamazoo, MI-  Dock Spiders fell in both games on Monday to close out the Michigan trip against Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. The Dock Spiders lost game one 10-8 to Battle Creek, in a game that stretched over three days due to a weather delay. Then in the second game and the regular schedule Monday game for the Dock Spiders against Kalamazoo, The Dock Spiders fell 13-9. With the losses, Dock Spiders moved to 5-9 on the season.

In the first game on Monday at Battle Creek, Dock Spiders took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning after a lead-off double from Parker Knoll (Lawrence) and came around to score with a single from Zack Taylor (UW-Oshkosh) later in the inning that gave the Dock Spiders a 1-0 lead. The Dock Spiders added another run in the seventh inning after a walk to Donavan Canterberry (Xavier), the next hitter Jake Surane (UW-Oshkosh) doubled into the left-field corner to score Canterberry to make the score 2-0.

The Dock Spiders held their lead until the eighth with a strong start from Clay Kennedy 5.0 innings and allowed 3 hits, 1 walk, and struck out eight. In the bottom of the eighth, the Battle Jacks got three straight two-out hits that scored two runs to tie the game  at two, the first a double from Cayden Woptika (Lower Columbia) that scored Aidan Arbogast (Eastern Michigan), then a single from Jacob Brown (Charleston) that scored Woptika to tie the game.

The game would stay tied at two and go to extras. In the tenth inning, the Dock Spiders started the inning with a runner at second after a single by Tyler Neises (Georgia Tech), the Dock Spiders had runners on first and third with no out. The next batter Drew Barragan (Embry-Riddle) lined to second, doubling the runner up  in Neises at first for a double play, Zack Taylor would strike out to end the Dock Spiders’ chance.

In the bottom of the tenth, Battle Creek started the inning with their runner at second and a bunt by Aidan Arbogast with no outs as RHP Zack Silfies (Elizabethtown) picked up the bunt and threw to third not in time to get the lead runner which allowed runners on first and third. Silfies intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases with no outs,  the next batter Jacob Brown worked a 3-2 count and brought in the game-winning run on ball four outside that allowed Battle Creek to defeat the Dock Spiders 3-2.

Then the Dock Spiders made the short trip to Kalamazoo for game two. Dock Spiders took an early 1-0 lead in the first with Aiden Jolley (Georgia Tech) hitting a home run, his first of the season, and a homer in the second inning from Tyler Stack (Xavier) his season of the season and second in two straight days.

Kalamazoo countered with two of their own in the bottom of the first inning and took the lead with two runs in the third inning and one more in the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead.

In the fifth inning, Kelsen Johnson homer to left field his first of the year as the Dock Spiders got two across the board cutting Kalamazoo’s lead to 5-4. In the bottom of the inning, the Growlers answered back by putting five runs across the board and bringing eleven to bat, increasing their lead to 10-4. The Growlers added one more in the sixth to increase their lead to 11-4.

In the seventh the Dock Spiders climbed their way back into it with a single from Drew Barragan that plated two runs, Barragan 16 RBI, the team lead, in the inning DockSpiders put five across the plate to cut the score to 11-9. 

Kalamazoo in the bottom of the eight added two more runs to take a 13-9 lead, and tthe Dock Spiders weren’t able to draw any closer and fell by a final score of 13-9.

Dock Spiders are back in action at home at Herr-Baker Field tomorrow against the Madison Mallards, first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 CT. Tuesday is scout and stand whiffer night at the ballpark, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are invited to participate in a pre-game parade around the warning track and are encouraged to wear their vest, and uniform, and bring a troop banner. As well as tomorrow is Bang For Your Buck Tuesday with 107.1 The Bull, enjoy hot dogs, 16 oz. Pepsi products, and 16 oz. domestic draft beers (for those of legal drinking age) for $2 each.

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