KENOSHA, Wi. – The Kenosha Kingfish used two home runs to back an eight run performance against the Kalamazoo Growlers on Sunday.
The Kingfish won the game 8-2 after taking the lead in the third inning on a Shane Shifflett two-run home run and never looking back.
Kalamazoo got the scoring started in the top of the second inning on a Jared Miller RBI single. The hit gave Miller his 19th RBI of the season, 11 of which have come against Kenosha continuing Miller’s success against the Kingfish.
Evan McDonald answered with the first home run of the day on a deep shot to left field to tie the score at one. Shifflett’s home run came an inning later to give the Kingfish a 3-1 lead.
Zach Daniels was able to bring the Growlers within one run in the top of the sixth inning on a solo home run to left field. It was Daniels’ fifth home run of the season, tying him for the team lead.
Kenosha responded with authority in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs, chasing Growlers starter Jack Nelson from the ball game. They then added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh to make the score 8-2.
Nelson went 5.1 innings on the mound for the Growlers, allowing six runs on six hits including both home runs. Luke Boyd followed in relief of Nelson, going 1 inning surrendering five hits and two runs. Dakota Roberts went the final 1.2 innings for the Growlers giving up two hits and working out of two bases loaded jams.
Cayman Richardson had the big day offensively for Kalamazoo with a double in the first inning and a single in the third.
The Growlers will try to split the two game set with the Kingfish with Kyle Virbitsky on the mound for Kalamazoo.
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.