KALAMAZOO, MI., — The Mac Daddies won game one, while game two was canceled due to rain. Tickets for game two can be put towards an upcoming game this season.
GAME ONE
The Growlers dropped game one 5-4 due to poor defending in the first inning.
Despite the loss, the Growlers took an early lead in the first inning, as Blake Dunn (Western Michigan University) and Ryan Marra (Brown University) scored after reaching base on a single and walk, respectively. Dunn scored on a groundout by Brett Barrera (Stanford University), while Marra was driven in by Trent Quartermaine’s (Ball State University) single. After the top of the first, the Growlers led 2-0.
Griffin Lanoue (Xavier University) struggled with his location early in the first inning, as he hit the first batter and walked the following two. With the bases loaded, Kenton Crews (University of Evansville) hit a grounder to Barrera who booted the ball and could not record an out. That play scored Vince Bianchina (Northwestern University). After a quick strikeout, the Growlers’ infielders recorded the second and third error of the innings, as Marra threw the ball in the dirt, trying to get Kyle Ashworth (California Polytechnic State University) out via a force at home. Luke Stephenson (Xavier University) could not control it, as the ball bounced away. Shawn Goosenberg (Northwestern University) came around to score on the play, putting the Mac Daddies up 3-2. Ethan O’Donnell (Northwestern University) loaded the bases as the next batter. He reached when Carson Greene (Stanford University) misplayed his ground ball. Lanoue walked in the fourth run of the inning and the fifth came from a Patrick Ardnt (Bellarmine University) sac fly.
The Growlers tacked on two more runs in the fourth, but it was not enough. Barrera led off with a double and eventually came around to score on a wild pitch from Mac Daddies’ starter, Jack Blesch (University of Saint Thomas). Quatermaine followed it up with a single and later scored on an RBI-single from Joe Kalafut (Edgewood College). In the fourth, Travis Snyder (St. Clair College) checked in, recording the final two outs of the inning.
Snyder wound up with a five-out save, as he sealed the deal for the Mac Daddies.
Despite the loss, Lanoue pitched a no-hitter, allowing five unearned runs on four walks and three errors. He tacked on four strikeouts in his first decision of the season. In Blesch’s first appearance of the season, he recoded the win. His final line read 3.1 innings, six hits, four runs and two walks.
GAME TWO
The second game of the day was canceled due to rain. Tickets from the canceled game can be used for a contest at a later date.
These two teams will square off again tomorrow, August 11.