Green Bay uses two-run top of the ninth to defeat Traverse City
Traverse City, Mich.-The Green Bay Rockers defeated the Traverse City Pit Spitters 4-3 Sunday night, behind a two-run top of the ninth inning from the Green Bay offense.
The Rockers improve to 7-14 on the season and got their sixth road win of 2022 while the Pit Spitters dropped to 8-13 through 21 games played.
Following a scoreless first inning on both sides, Chris Sleeper struck out all three Pit Spitters batters in the bottom of the second, keeping the game scoreless through two innings.
Green Bay scored their first run of the game off an RBI groundout from Griffin Stevens, taking a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third.
Traverse City took their first lead of the game off an RBI single and an RBI sacrifice fly, leading 2-1 after the first three innings of play.
After a nice scoop by Owen Jackson at first base saving a run, the Rockers headed into the fifth down 2-1 after Chris Sleeper pitched his third scoreless inning of the game.
Sleeper struck out the side in the fifth as the score remained 2-1 through the first five innings as Sleeper picked up his fifth strikeout in five innings pitched.
The Rockers tied the game back up at two apiece courtesy of an RBI single from Brendan Ryan as it remained 2-2 going into the bottom of the sixth.
The Pit Spitters regained the lead off an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth, but Bryce Crabb kept it only a one-run deficit after retiring the last two he faced. It remained 3-2 in favor of the Pit Spitters through six innings.
Crabb retired the Pit Spitters in order in the seventh, keeping it a 3-2 ballgame going into the eighth, in what was only a seven-pitch inning from Crabb.
After Crabb pitched another scoreless inning in the eighth, the Rockers took the lead in the ninth, starting off with an RBI sacrifice fly by Griffin Stevens, followed by a RBI double from Owen Jackson, as Green Bay took a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.
Jacob Conover retired the last three batters of the game as the Rockers snagged a come from behind road victory in the first of four meetings against the Pit Spitters.
The Rockers and Pit Spitters will face off again Monday to conclude the opening two-game series between the two teams. First pitch is set for 5:35 p.m. central time from Turtle Creek Stadium.
Single game and group tickets are on sale now. Visit www.greenbayrockers.com or call the ticket office at 920-497-7225 to reserve your seats today. The Rockers front office and Team Apparel Fan Shop at Capital Credit Union Park are located at 2231 Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm.
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The Green Bay Rockers 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. Having completed its’ 28th 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 280 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 (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.greenbayrockers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rockers as your favorite team.