July 3, 2019

Contact: Bennett Wise, wisebm@miamioh.edu

Two teams combine for 20 runs and 22 hits in the loss

Battle Creek, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Growlers fell to the Battle Creek Bombers 11-9 in the six overall meeting between the two teams this season.

The Growlers offense produced nine runs on nine hits in the outing. 

Kalamazoo led 2-0 after the second on an RBI single from Jimmy Sullivan (UVA), who scored as Brooks Coetzee (Notre Dame) reached on an error. 

Battle Creek responded with four runs in the bottom half of the frame on three straight hits by the Bombers, including a two-run single from Rhett McCall (Lamar). 

The Growlers retook the lead in the third on an RBI double from Gabe Rivera (Miami (FL)). Two batters later, Rivera and Shea Kramer (Utah) scored on a two-run single by Zach Gelof (UVA). 

Kalamazoo added to their 5-4 lead in the fifth, as Austin Knight (Tennessee) scored and Rivera reached on an error. Gelof then recorded his fourth RBI on the night to score Rivera and Kramer. Gelof was then driven home on a sacrifice fly from Dakota Kotowski (Missouri State) to put KZoo up 9-4.

The Growlers would be held scoreless for the rest of the ballgame, while Battle Creek put up four runs in the bottom of the fifth, including a bases-clearing, three-run triple from Kolby Johnson (Central Arkansas). Johnson scored in the same sequence on an error by Kramer at second base.

Heading into the bottom of the seventh, Kalamazoo still led 9-8, until Roy Thurman (Akron) was hit by a pitch and recorded an RBI in the process to score McCall. 

Battle Creek took the lead in the ensuing at bat, on a two-run single by Bomber-newcomer Caleb Balgaard (Iowa Western), to put the final score at 11-9.

Ping-Chun Ho (1-1, Barry) earned the win for Battle Creek after throwing a hitless 1.1 innings. DJ Moore (2-2, Huntington) recorded his second loss of the year, giving up two runs in one inning of work. Moore also had one walk and two strikeouts. Burrell Jones (3, Wabash Valley) was credited with his third save of the year.

The Kalamazoo Growlers return to action tomorrow at Homer Stryker Field for a doubleheader against the Battle Creek Bombers. First pitch of game one is set for 5:05 p.m., while game two will start 30 minutes after the completion of game one.

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