Kenosha, Wisc. – After the Growlers (5-9) took an early lead on a second inning RBI single by Ryan Spaulding (Ball State), Kenosha struck back with a 12 run sixth inning and downed the Growlers 12-3 on Monday night  at Simmons Field in Kenosha, Wisc. The Growlers created early chances to score but struggled to get the big hit as six men were left on the basepaths in the first three innings. Nick Wernke (West Virginia) pitched his best start of the year, cruising through five innings of shutout baseball before being touched by Kenosha. The Kingfish touched up Wernke and three other relief pitchers in the sixth inning scoring 12 runs on four hits, five walks and three hit batters.

Box Score

The Growlers played on to the end and refused to fold, scoring a pair of runs on a two RBI single by Cody Leichman (Central Michigan) in the ninth inning. Wernke absorbed his second loss of the year (0-2) as the Growlers suffered their eighth straight loss and fell to 5-9 on the young season. Kalamazoo visits Wisconsin Rapids for a two game series before heading home this Thursday for a nice four game home stretch at Homer Stryker Stadium.

The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel.  For more information, visit http://www.growlersbaseball.com.