FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kalamazoo, Mich. – On Saturday, July 21, the Kalamazoo Growlers (28-26, 10-9) officially clinched its seventh straight I-94 Rivalry Cup Trophy, shutting out the Battle Creek Battle Jacks (26-29, 7-12).
Growlers starter Tanner Ware was the star of the night for Kalamazoo. Ware held a no-hit bid through two outs into the seventh inning. It is the second-longest that a Growler has ever gone with no hits with Sam Carlisle’s eight last season being the franchise record.
After a two-out double, Ware fanned his fourth batter of the game the very next at-bat ending his day after seven scoreless innings.
Final Line: 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 25 BF
Ware secured his second win in the best outing of his Growlers career while dropping his ERA to just 1.53. Ware now ranks fourth in the ‘Woods in ERA among pitchers with 25 or more innings.
Offensively, after a slow start against Battle Creek starter Jacob Spencer, the Growlers finally poked through a scoreless tie in the sixth. With a runner on, a pair of singles by Savi Delgado and Jeremy Comer put K-Zoo in front.
After a scoreless seventh, K-Zoo added on an insurance run in the eighth. After a two-out walk by Savi Delgado, Jeremy Comer grabbed his second RBI of the night, launching a double into the left-center alley.
A pair of scoreless innings by Andrew Jergins and Donny Tober secured the Growlers their Northwoods League-leading seventh shutout of the season. With the least amount of walks, lowest WHIP, and highest first-pitch strike percentage of anyone in the Northwoods League, K-Zoonow holds a Great Lakes fourth-best 4.48 ERA.
The Growlers are back at home tomorrow to finish out a two-game set with Battle Creek. In the final game before the All-Star Break, first pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. at Homer Stryker Field.