FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kalamazoo, Mich. – On Friday, following a two-hour rain delay that stopped play in the sixth inning, the Kalamazoo Growlers (24-22, 6-5) dropped game one of its series 6-1 to the Royal Oak Leprechauns (25-22, 7-5).

For the third game in the last week, rain affected the series opener between the Growlers and Leprechauns.

Looking for bounce-back starts Kalamazoo’s Ben Reimers and Royal Oak’s Andrew Abler kept the game low-scoring throughout the first five innings.

Offensively, the Leprechauns took an early 2-0 lead after a pair of sac flies in the second and third. Gabe Springer’s fourth home run of the year brought K-Zoo back within one after three frames.

Royal Oak continued its pressure on Ben Reimers in the fourth and fifth, leaving a pair of men stranded. Heading into the sixth, the sky began to open up. After playing through light rain, the game was put into a delay with runners at the corners and two outs.

After two hours of work on the field to get it back prepped and ready, the game resumed at 10:40 p.m. Triton College right-hander Donny Tober toed the rubber after the delay and immediately retired the side with a popout.

Royal Oak’s Kyle Dixon would go the distance after the rain delay. After striking out the side in the sixth, Dixon stranded the bases loaded in the seventh.

Royal Oak took advantage in the eighth with little momentum in the Growlers dugout. After a leadoff double by Brayden Dowd, two quick outs by Growlers reliever Chase Cummins set up Alex Cheeseman. Squaring to bunt, Cheeseman tapped it back to Cummins, who airmailed first, bringing home Dowd.

After a 1-2-3 eighth, Royal Oak opened it up in the ninth. A leadoff triple by Parker Picot followed by a one-out hit by pitch by Jayden Lopez had runners at the corners. After a steal of second by Lopez, an errant throw by Savi Delgado brought in a pair of runs. An RBI single by Collin Overholt two batters later put Royal Oak up by five.

Dixon faced the minimum in the bottom of the ninth, securing the Leprechauns its seventh win of the second half.

Kalamazoo hits the road Saturday looking to split the series with Royal Oak. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.