KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Growlers dropped another game 4-1 to the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders and are now 3-6 in the second half of the season. The win for the Dock Spiders brings them within one game of the Growlers in the overall season standings.
Both Fond du Lac pitchers had stellar outings tonight holding the Growlers to only five hits and one run. Starting pitcher Sam Hubbe was dominant, throwing eight innings with seven strikeouts, allowing only five hits and one earned run. Dock Spiders closer Zach Bryant went one perfect inning to seal the game and picked up his eighth save of the season.
Both teams started slow, only scoring one run each in the opening inning; Fond du Lac’s Alex Erro scored on a Sam Cohen sacrifice fly and Growlers Zach Daniels was sent home on a base hit from Matt Mervis.
The score remained tied until the fifth inning when the Dock Spiders’ Troy Black hit a three-run RBI. The inning began with a lead-off bunt single from Kiambu Fentress. After a sacrifice bunt from Jordan Prendiz, Fentress moved to second. Walks to Jack Wassel and Sam Cohen loaded the bases for Black, who then drove in all three with his double to center.
Tommy Sommer took the hill to start the evening going 5.2 innings throwing five strikeouts and allowing all four earned runs.
Andrew Belcik came in at relief in the sixth inning working out of two bases-loaded jams allowing only two hits. He had two strikeouts and no earned runs. Bryce Welborn came in to close for the Growlers, going the final two innings.
The Growlers look to split the series tomorrow back at Homer Stryker Field and will send Sam Weatherly to the mound to get things started.
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The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. 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.