Kalamazoo, Mich. – The Kalamazoo Growlers (10-7) captured its second sweep of the season, taking down the Battle Creek Battle Jacks (9-9) 3-1 on Friday night.With the sweep over its I-94 rival, the Growlers are now 21-5 against Battle Creek since the teams’ rebrand in 2022.
For a second straight night, K-Zoo would get a solid start out of its tall righty. Liam O’Brien, in his second start of the season, gathered his first quality start of the season striking out seven through six and a third scoreless innings.
The Growlers’ bullpen would also deliver. With two runners in scoring position and one out in the seventh, Eastern Michigan junior Tyler Kapa relieved O’Brien shutting the door. Behind a ground out and a strike out to end the inning, Kapa kept the Battle Jacks scoreless.
Following Kapa’s shutdown frame in the seventh, the righty worked around a walk and single in the eighth, dropping his season ERA to just 1.04.
Kalamazoo’s offense would show its first glimpse of true power this season. In the third inning, Brodey Acres blasted the first Growlers home run at home this season over the left-field wall.
After a sac fly in the fourth by Ryar Rinehart to put the Growlers up a pair, Brock Leitgeb would show off the barrel, sending a no-doubter nearly into the junkyard beyond left field to give K-Zoo a 3-0 lead.
Battle Creek would get its one and only run of the day on a Ben Fiernzi sac fly in the top of the ninth before Jake Carroll closed it out, getting his second save in as many nights.
The Growlers have now won three straight for the second time this season and are firmly in second place in the Great Lakes East. K-Zoo takes on Traverse City tomorrow night who is hoping to bounce off of a three-game losing streak. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at Homer Stryker Field.
