FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kalamazoo, Mich. – On Saturday, July 27, fifth-year Kalamazoo Growler Eamon Horwedel captured his 21st career Northwoods League win, becoming the winningest pitcher in Northwoods League history.
Going the distance for the second time in his career, Horwedel capped off the historic night in storybook fashion with a groundout back to the mound. The win pushed him passed 1997-99 Waterloo Buck Jim Magrane, breaking a record held for 25 years.
After giving up a leadoff single to begin the game, Horwedel forced weak contact for the rest of the evening, retiring 15 of the next 17 batters averaging just over 10 pitches an inning.
Horwedel ended the night with six strikeouts while the defense turned a pair of double plays in the eighth and ninth to keep him in the game.
Final Line: 9 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 34 BF, 104 P
Horwedel or “Captain Growler” is just one of two pitchers in the Northwoods League this season to throw a nine-inning complete game and both hail from Kalamazoo. Patrick Straub’s complete game on Sunday, July 21 against Battle Creek was the longest outing of his career.
The pair of complete games are the 10th and 11th in Kalamazoo Growlers history.
After becoming the Growlers’ career win record holder in his first start of the season, Horwedel continues to grow his legacy in his fifth and final summer with the Growlers. Horwedel now holds the Growlers record in appearances and wins and is second all-time in strikeouts, starts 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.