FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 8, 2019

Contact: Jackson Kaplan, Kalamazoo Growlers

jkapla11@uncc.edu

Loves Park, Ill. — The visiting Kalamazoo Growlers (7-5) got off to an early 9-0 deficit in the first two frames, falling to the host Rockford Rivets (6-6) by a final score of 11-2 at Rivets Stadium Saturday evening. The Growlers split the two-game road series at Rockford.

The Rivets drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI fielder’s choice to take an early 1-0 lead. In the second frame all with two outs on the board, Rockford tallied eight runs with nine straight hitters reaching base to stretch the lead to 9-0.

Rockford added an insurance run in the fifth inning to make it 10-0 before the Growlers got on the board with a sacrifice fly by Fox Leum (North Iowa Area CC) to make it 10-1. A wild pitch in bottom of the seventh allowed another opposing run to score to extend the advantage to 11-1. Kalamazoo plated its final run of the night in the top of the eighth on a RBI single from Noah Marcoux (Davenport University).

Kalamazoo starting pitcher Ralph Gambino (Penn State) took the loss on the mound, falling to 0-1. Rockford starter Brayden Jensen earned the win, improving to 1-0. Rivets reliever Jordan Nelson notched his first save of the season.

The Kalamazoo Growlers return to the friendly confines of Homer Stryker Field tomorrow afternoon, facing the Traverse City Pit Spitters for the first time in franchise history. First pitch is slated for a 3:05 p.m. start.

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