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Published On: August 5th, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kalamazoo, Mich. – On Sunday, August 4, the Northwoods League named Kalamazoo Growlers right-handed pitcher Liam O’Brien as the Pitcher of the Night.

The award marks just the second Growler in franchise history to win three Northwoods League Pitchers of the Night in the same season, tying Eamon Horwedel’s 2023 campaign.

Behind eight strikeouts against Battle Creek, O’Brien has taken back the Northwoods League strikeout lead with 74 across 11 appearances. The junior from Hawai’i not only passes his Growler teammate Ryan Kraft at the top of the league but also holds the Growlers franchise record for strikeouts in a season.

Final Line: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 12BB, 8 K, 23 BF, 88 P

The Growlers have now won the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night award eight times this season and 16 times since the beginning of 2023. Both mark as the most of any team in the Northwoods League.

Kalamazoo Northwoods League Pitchers of the Night (2024):
July 27 – RHP #37 Liam O’Brien
July 26 – LHP #29 Ryan Kraft
July 11 – RHP #37 Liam O’Brien
July 5 – RHP #37 Liam O’Brien
June 20 – RHP #38 Adam Berghorst
June 19 – LHP #29 Ryan Kraft
June 2 – RHP #20 Eamon Horwedel
May 27 – RHP #28 Jerad Berkenpas

With just a 1.93 ERA across the Growlers’ last 12 games, the Growlers now hold a Northwoods League-leading 4.14 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. The Growlers also stand in the top 10 in strikeouts, batting average against, 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.