KALAMAZOO, MI – It was a slow start at the plate for both teams in this afternoons contest, but the Growlers bats came through again for their seventh win in a row. Today's Reading Program Day game ended in an 11-5 advantage for Kalamazoo over the Green Bay Bullfrogs.
Scoring in this one began in the top of the third frame for the Bullfrogs off of the bat of Matthew Hoeg when he drove in Chris Botsoe on a fielder's choice. But, the Growlers answered right back in the same inning to tie the game thanks to a Dan Robinson double that scored Sam Griggs.
Kalamazoo added two more runs the following inning and extended their lead to 3-1. Connor Olson scored his first of two runs when a Bullfrog pitch bounced to the backstop. Eli Lovell then delivered with a sacrifice fly that brought Kasey Cooper home.
Green Bay bats came out on fire in the fifth inning and they were able to tie the game back up with a pair of solo home runs from Colton Onstott and Chad Mabini.
The middle innings proved to be effective for Kalamazoo for the second game in a row as they used four runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to regain momentum. Olson, Lovell, and Michael Corwley all drove in runs for the Growlers in the fifth. Cooper and Dan Leckie were both able to put the ball in play the next inning and each brought two more runs home.
The late inning rally for Green Bay came up short as they were only able to scratch across two runs in the final two innings, and the Growlers held on to win yet another game.
Olson led the way for the Growlers by getting on base in all five at bats. Olson had three hits, two walks, three RBIs, and scored two runs. Robinson (11), Kopach (9), and Griggs (8) each extended their hitting streaks for Kalamazoo. Michael Brettell started his first game as a Growler and pitched five full innings while giving up four hits and three runs.
The Growlers and Bullfrogs will be back in action tomorrow evening at Homer Stryker Field for Make a Difference Monday. Half of tomorrow's walk up ticket sales will benefit the SPCA of Southwest Michigan. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. EDT.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 22-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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, more than 140 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com.