Traverse City, MI — The visiting Kalamazoo Growlers (11-14) trailed 4-0 early and were unable to mount a comeback as the host Traverse City Pit Spitters (15-13) held on for the 6-3 victory at Pit Spitters Park Sunday afternoon. The Pit Spitters secured the two-game series sweep.

Traverse City collected four early runs on five hits in the first inning to grab the early advantage. The Pit Spitters knocked back-to-back singles followed by a two-run triple and two-run homer. The Growlers responded with two runs in the second frame on an Anthony Walters (Mt. San Antonio College) RBI single and Dakota Kotowski (Missouri State) scoring on a wild pitch to cut the deficit in half at 4-2.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the seventh inning when the Pit Spitters tacked on a pair of insurance runs courtesy of a two-run shot to stretch the lead to 6-2. Kalamazoo got another run back in the eighth on a RBI double from Jake Topolski (Duke) trim the margin to 6-3.

The Growlers put two runners on base with two outs in the ninth, but fell short as Traverse Ciy notched its fourth consecutive win over Kalamazoo. Growlers starter Michael Dunkelberger (Indiana) took the loss, falling to 1-1 despite tossing four scoreless innings with five strikeouts after the Pit Spitter’s four-run first inning. Traverse City reliever Garett Simmons earned the win, while Jon Beuckelaere tallied his second save.

The Kalamazoo Growlers are off tomorrow, but return to action again on the road Tuesday night for the opener of a two-game series versus the Kenosha Kingfish. First pitch from Simmons Field is slated for a 7:05 p.m. CT start.

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