Kalamazoo, Mich. – For the first time in franchise history, the Kalamazoo Growlers (44-31) will be hosting the Northwoods League Championship Game. Following a 3-2 win over the Madison Mallards (52-22), the Growlers captured its second-ever Great Lakes Championship.

The Growlers for the second time in three seasons will play for a Northwoods League Championship Game and for the first time ever will play multiple playoff games at home in the same season. Kalamazoo will take on the Lacrosse Loggers (34-37) tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 15 with the first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. ET. at Homer Stryker Field.

Tickets: Tickets for Thursday’s Northwoods League Championship game at Homer Stryker Field can be found HERE and online at growlersbaseball.com. Gates will open at 5:35 p.m. ET.

For the second straight game, the Growlers broke the deadlock in the opening frame. After a leadoff single by Brodey Acres, Savi Delgado crushed a 2-0 slider over the left-field wall for his fifth home run this season. In fact, five of his six career home runs have come in the state of Wisconsin.

Kalamazoo was once again anchored by Northwoods League Pitcher of the Year, Ryan Kraft. The junior from Indiana across seven innings gave up just one run on one hit, a home run by Charlie Marion. While walking four batters, Kraft struck out seven. His last was his biggest, striking out Cal Fisher with two on and two out to shut the door in the seventh.

The Mallards went to the pen in just the third inning but produced five straight scoreless frames. After the Charlie Marion home run in the sixth, Kalamazoo answered with a run of its own in the seventh. Kalamazoo loaded the bases with three straight singles before a Lawson Knight pool shot groundout brought home Antonio Perrotta.

Kalamazoo’s bullpen, still fresh after its three-game set with the Rockford Rivets opened up the day shaky. Charlie Marion once again hit a solo blast to right off of K-Zoo lefty Carson Byers. Byers immediately answered back with three straight outs to end the frame with Kalamazoo in front.

After a scoreless top half of the ninth, Growlers second-year closer Aaron Robertson shut the door in the bottom half, putting down the Mallards 1-2-3 and securing his team-leading fifth save.

Kalamazoo’s run continues as the group has won 18 of its last 23 and 11 of its last 14 on its #RoadtotheShip sponsored by Advia Credit Union. The Northwoods League Championship Game can be watched live on ESPN+ with the broadcast beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET