Wausau, Wis.- The Kalamazoo Growlers were cruising along in the series finale against Wisconsin at Athletic Park in Wausau, Wis. on Tuesday night. After Austin Cangelosi (Indiana University) stole both 3rd base and then home to give the Growlers an early lead, Ryan Spaulding capped a three run 5th inning for the Growlers with a two run single for a 4-0 lead.
That advantage would not hold. The big inning stung Kalamazoo again as Wisconsin scored eight runs on six hits in the bottom of the fifth, and the Woodchucks never looked back, as they handed the Growlers their second straight loss and a series sweep in the first of four meetings this year between the two teams.
Jacob Post (Ohio State) was credited with the loss, going 4.1 innings, allowing five runs on five hits and striking out three. Joshua Buchalski (Michigan State) went 2.1 innings and gave up five hits and three runs while striking out five. Buchalski is the team leader in strikeouts with 21 so far this season.
The Growlers will return home on Wednesday and Thursday for a quick two-game series against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters before heading out another road trip to play the La Crosse Loggers and the Lakeshore Chinooks. First pitch for the home games at Homer Stryker Field is at 7:05 p.m.
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 significanlty more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpries 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 Zimmerman (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel.