FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kalamazoo, Mich. – On Thursday, August 8, the Northwoods League named Kalamazoo Growlers left-handed pitcher Ryan Kraft as the Pitcher of the Night.
The new Northwoods League leader (81) in strikeouts and record-breaker for the most strikeouts in a single season by a Growler in franchise history, Kraft has now won three Northwoods League Pitchers of the Night this season.
Across five and two-thirds innings pitched, Kraft stranded eight runners, striking out eight and giving up just one earned run.
Final Line: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 8 K, 28 BF, 102 P
The Growlers have now won the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night award three times in the last week and 10 times this season. Now with 18 since the beginning of 2023, the Growlers hold the most of any team in the Northwoods League.
June 19 – LHP #29 Ryan Kraft
June 2 – RHP #20 Eamon Horwedel
May 27 – RHP #28 Jerad Berkenpas
With just a 2.38 ERA across the last 16 games, the Growlers now hold a Northwoods League second-best 4.16 ERA this season. K-Zoo also holds the lead league with the least amount of walks, lowest WHIP, most shutouts, and highest first-pitch strike percentage of anyone in the Northwoods League while being third in batting average against. The Growlers also stand in the top 10 in strikeouts, and innings pitched.
The Kalamazoo Growlers 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. Now in its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history 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, 360 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, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner, and two-time All-MLB first-team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.growlersbaseball.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.