FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kalamazoo, Mich. – On Sunday, the Kalamazoo Growlers (29-26, 11-9) brought home a dominant series sweep behind an 11-1 win over the Battle Creek Battle Jacks (26-30, 7-13).

For a second consecutive night, a K-Zoo starter finished with the best performance in the Northwoods League. Growlers right-handed pitcher Patrick Straub went the distance for Kalamazoo. After giving up one run on three hits in the first inning, Straub would not let up another batter for the rest of the day.

Retiring the final 24 batters of the ballgame in a row, Straub secured the first complete game of his career. In the process, Straub struck out a career-high nine while forcing 11 separate groundouts averaging just 11.5 pitches per inning

Final Line: 9 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 9 K, 104 P, 30 BF

With Straub dealing, the Growlers’ offense picked him up putting together what Growlers manager Cody Piechocki called “our most complete game.”

After a scoreless first, the Growlers exploded in the second loading the bases on three walks before a Travis Ilitch sac fly and an Eric Becker three-run home run gave K-Zoo the lead.

Two innings later, the Growlers hung up another crooked number. K-Zoo’s first two runs came in on an errant throw by Battle Jacks pitcher Adrian Rubio and an Eric Becker sac fly. A walk and hit by pitch later and Sam Harris forced the game out of reach with his fourth home run of the season. The three-run home run completed a five-run fourth, putting Kalamazoo up eight.

The pair of four-plus run frames make it now 20 times this season that the Growlers have scored four or more runs in a lone frame after K-Zoo did so 45 times in 2023.

In total, K-Zoo took advantage of every small chance given. Scoring 11 runs on just six hits, the Growlers walked 12 times and were hit once while forcing two Battle Creek errors.

The Growlers are off for the next three days for the Northwoods League All-Star Break before they hit the road on Thursday to take on Traverse City. Make sure to watch Eamon Horwedel, Brock Leitgeb, Ryan Kraft, and Liam O’Brien at ISG Field on Tuesday, July 23rd as they represent Kalamazoo in the 2024 Northwoods League All-Star Game.

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’ 31^st 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.