Kenosha, WI – A first-inning spark of offense for the Kalamazoo Growlers propelled them to their first win of the 2023 season, taking down the Kenosha Kingfish 6-2 on Tuesday, May 30. Three walks and three hits in the first frame made it a 4-0 ballgame after half an inning of baseball. 

The Growlers were anchored by a stellar outing from starter, left-handed pitcher Noah Keller. The Cornell Big Red freshman went 6.2 innings, striking out eight while giving walking three and allowing just one earned run. Keller had a 67.9 FPS% dialing up fastballs and striking out the side in the fifth. 

The entire Growlers lineup got involved in the offense in game two of the series as five different players brought home a run while seven worked a base on balls. The Growlers walked 10 total times as a team helping bring home two insurance runs in the sixth and the ninth.

Kalamazoo Valley CC Cougar Korbin Griffin lit up Kenosha pitchers to start off the season. After a 1-4 day with an opposite-field double on Monday, Griffin went 3-4 on Tuesday with two singles, a double and a walk, two stolen bases, and two runs. 

The Growlers went to the bullpen for the final 2.1 innings. Cam Hunter made his first Growlers appearance after being on the roster for the postseason run in 2022. Hunter went 1.1 IP giving striking out one. Logan Bursick-Harrington would close it out in the bottom of the ninth striking out two of three batters faced to secure the Kalamazoo win.

K-Zoo is right back in action at home on Wednesday for Education Day as they take on the Great Lakes East rival Battle Creek Battle Jacks. First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m. at Homer Stryker Field.