Mequon, Wisc. – The Kalamazoo Growlers in a day night double-header would split with the Lakeshore Chinooks, 7-4 and 1-0. The Growlers would earn their first victory against the Chinooks this season. 

Game One Recap

The Kalamazoo Growlers rallied after absorbing a 5-0 deficit in the first inning to the Lakeshore Chinooks, but a late inning home run by the Chinook's Jake Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) provided just enough as the Growlers took the loss in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday at Kapco Park in Mequon, WI.

Growler starter Eric Hall (Chicago State) struggled in the first inning, giving up three hits, including a two run home run, but settled down and pitched well until Noll's home run in the 5th inning. Kalamazoo chipped away Lakeshore's lead with a two run home run by Vinnie Mallaro (University of Buffalo) and a sacrifice fly by Jesse Puscheck (Canasius College) which scored two as a throwing error provided Justin Fletcher (Northern Illinois) to score and make it a 5-4 game. Lakeshore closed it out over the last two innings to win the game and move to 22-6 in the second half, and hold on to first place in the South Division. Kalamazoo fell to 12-17 and remains in 7th place in the South Division,as Hall took the loss for Kalamazoo, his record now at 2-3 for the year.

Game Two Recap

The Kalamazoo Growlers posted their second shutout in as many days as they split a doubleheader versus the Lakeshore Chinooks at Kapco Park on Saturday August 2nd. Josh Buchalski (Michigan State) threw 3 1/3 innings of shutout baseball while strking out four in the emergency start for Kalamazoo. Jacob Trejo (USC-Sumter) picked up the win as he came on in relief and struck out three, walked none, and picked up his first win as a member of the Kalamazoo Growlers.

There was not a ton of offense to speak of in the night cap of the twin-bill, but the Growlers got what they needed. Grant VanPutten (Calvin College) drove in All-Star Ryan Lidge (Notre Dame) on an RBI single in the top of the second inning for the only run of the ball game. The Growlers fell to the Chinooks 7-4 in the afternoon contest as Mike Letkewicz (Augustana College) picked up his third win and second versus the Growlers this season.

The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the
Northwoods League YouTube channel