Kalamazoo, Mich. – The Growlers pitching staff continues to add quality arms in Ryan Colegate of Ohio Dominican, and Michigan native Donnie Eaton of the University of Michigan. Both pitchers will provide plenty of collegiate baseball experience to the Growlers for their inaugural season in the Northwoods League.

 Ryan Colegate: 6’5” – 180lb, RHP, Bats/R, Throws/R, Ohio Dominican (So.), Centreville, OH

Colegate brings starting experience on the mound to the Growlers for the 2014 season. So far this season at Ohio Dominican, the sophomore has appeared in 11 games in 2014, including seven starts with a 3-4 record over 45 1/3 innings pitched. His ERA currently stands at 3.57 with 28 strikeouts and one complete game.

The 6’4” righty has dropped his ERA by over half of a run from his freshman season as well as becoming more of an established starter for Ohio Dominican. The Centreville, Ohio native is a tall, lanky pitcher, who will be expected to produce quality innings for the Growlers pitching staff in 2014.

Donnie Eaton: 6’4” – 210lb, RHP, Bats/R, Throws/R, Michigan (Jr.), Ann Arbor, MI

Eaton is a power arm out of the Wolverines bullpen and has been stellar in his junior season. The Ann Arbor native has made 11 appearances, totaling 20 1/3 innings in 2014. His 0.89 ERA and .104 batting average against leads all Michigan pitchers. He has given up just 7 hits while totaling 21 strikeouts.

As a sophomore, Eaton was nearly untouchable too, posting a 2.16 ERA and a batting average against of .148 in six appearances. The former Father Gabriel Richard high school standout was named to the AnnArbor.com Dream Team as a senior, as well as All-State, All-Region and All-District. Eaton was a three-sport star in high school, playing football and basketball in addition to baseball.

The junior at Michigan will bring another power presence in the Growlers bullpen joining recent addition Jevon Boyd of Kaskaskia College as guys with overpowering fastballs.

The Growlers begin their inaugural 2014 season on the road as they take on the defending Northwoods League champions, the Madison Mallards on May 27^th. The first home game of the year is on Friday, May 30^th at Homer Stryker Stadium, when the Battle Creek Bombers come to Kalamazoo in the first of a five game home stand for the Growlers.

The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live and free of charge via the Northwoods League YouTube channel.  For more information, visit http://www.growlersbaseball.com.