Kalamazoo, Mich. – On Sunday, Aug. 11, the Kalamazoo Growlers captured game one of the Great Lakes East Championship Series 12-7 over the Rockford Rivets.

In what was slated to be a pitcher’s duel quickly unraveled into a shootout at Homer Stryker Field. Growlers starter Liam O’Brien loaded the bases to begin the ballgame before getting a double play that brought home the game’s first run. O’Brien would be able to keep the ballgame at that after a popout to first.

Kalamazoo answered back quickly with a three spot in the bottom of the first. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases before a Korbin Griffin sac fly tied the game up. On the very next pitch, Trey Wells shot a two-run single into left giving Kalamazoo a lead they would not relinquish.

After an RBI single by TJ Williams to open up the second, the Growlers’ offense continued to produce against Rivets starter Landen Southern. After an RBI single by Lawson Knight, a squeeze bunt from Savi Delgado brought in Brodey Acres. The Growlers ended the inning scoring its sixth run on a passed ball by Rivets catcher Daniel Contreras.

After a scoreless frame in the third, the Rivets shot themselves right back within one. Chasing O’Brien out of the game, Rockford immediately loaded the bases to start the inning before a pair of RBI singles brought home three.

After a scoreless frame for the Growlers, K-Zoo would force Southern out of the game in the fifth. After a leadoff walk to Griffin, Wells shot his third home run of the year over the left field wall.

After both ending the regular season on down stretched, Wells and Growlers second-baseman Brodey Acres were the stars of the day. Acres went 3-3 in the top of the order ith two runs and a pair of RBI while Wells was awarded as the Northwoods League Hitter of the Night after going 4-5 with 4 RBI while just being a triple shy of the cycle.

Against Rivets reliever Tresdon Rybarczyk, the Growlers immediately loaded the bases before an Antonio Perrotta sac fly extended the lead to four. A pair of defensive misques for the Rivets helped bring home two more runs for the Growlers in seventh.

The two would combine for three more runs in the ballgame before Growlers closer Aaron Robertson closed it out striking out the side in the ninth.

Kalamazoo is now one win away from its second trip in franchise history to the Great Lakes Championship Game. Kalamazoo will have Adam Berghorst toe the rubber Monday against Rockford’s Tre Benjamin. First pitch at Rivets Stadium is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. ET.

The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 31^st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 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, 360 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner, and two-time All-MLB first-team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network.  Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.growlersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Growlers as your favorite team.