FOND DU LAC, WI – Kalamazoo would come into Fondy for the final time on the 2017 season having won three straight dating back to the Wisconsin series at home on August 5th and 6th. The team, well rested with the off day yesterday, 6-4 in its last ten ballgames.
The Dock Spiders came out of the gates with some early offense. After an error to start the game charged to Jason Sullivan (Central Michigan) off the bat of Thomas Luevano (Creighton) and a one out walk for Eric Feliz (Notre Dame), designated hitter Andrew Bullock (Western Carolina) would come through with a two RBI double. The double was then followed by a clutch two out RBI single for the leftfielder, Caleb Summerhays (UNLV), 3-0 Spiders after one.
It wouldn’t take the Growlers long to bounce back the next half inning. Credit Stephen Dubb (USC) with a bases loaded walk to plate Jason Sullivan. That RBI marks number eight on the season for the pride of Southern California. Matt Schwarz (Old Dominion) would follow the walk with a sac-fly RBI to bring home Matt Koehler (Western Carolina). An error was then charged to Fondy third baseman Aaron Goecks (SIU-Edwardsville) off the bat of Michael Diffley (SDSU), plating Ryan Orr (SDSU), knotted at three a piece heading to the home half of the second.
Credit Eric Feliz with a two RBI double to get things going in the bottom half. The double would be followed by an Andrew Bullock RBI single, his third RBI on the game. Credit Bullock with forty-three RBIs now on the season, 6-3 after two innings of play.
Kzoo back in business in the top of the third. Matt Koehler would score for the second time on the day after an error off the bat of Stephen Dubb. Schwarz followed with a two out RBI single, RBI number two for the right fielder on the night, 6-5 score.
The Dock Spiders would strike for two more in the bottom of the third inning. An RBI single for Eric Gilgenbach (Notre Dame) and a sac-fly RBI for leadoff man Thomas Luevano would extend the Fondy lead to three, 8-5 heading to the fourth.
Jason Sullivan went deep for the first time on the 2017 season with a no-doubter into the Wisconsin night bringing the Growlers within two in the top of the fourth.
The roller coaster of a game continued in the sixth as Caleb Summerhays hit his third grand slam of the season against Michigan based teams, extending the Fond du Lac lead to 12-6.
More offense for the Growlers in the top of the seventh. Matt Koehler with a solo-homerun to bring the good guys back within 5, 12-7 your score.
Kzoo would go for two more in the top of the ninth. Credit Connor Hollis (Houston) with a two out RBI triple. Jeff Riedel (Ball State) would then bring Hollis in with an RBI single, 12-9 of which would end up being the final.
The Growlers will go again tomorrow in Green Bay as part of a day/night doubleheader with the Bullfrogs. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 6:05 ET. Be sure to check the official twitter account @kzoogrowlers for any changes.
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