FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kalamazoo, Mich. – On Friday, July 26, the Northwoods League named Kalamazoo Growlers left-handed pitcher Ryan Kraft as the Pitcher of the Night.

For the third time in the last four games, a K-Zoo starter finished with the best performance in the Northwoods League. The junior from Indiana gave up just one baserunner in the first six innings, retiring 18 of the first 19 batters he faced helping Kalamazoo secure its Northwoods League-leading eighth shutout.

Striking out nine, Kraft now leads the Northwoods League with 64 strikeouts this season, passing Growlers teammate Liam O’Brien. Kraft has struck out nine or more in a game four times this season, more than any other Growler franchise series.

Final Line: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K, 93 P, 24 BF
In his seventh outing this season, Kraft has a Northwoods League third-best 1.44 ERA amongst pitchers with 30 or more innings.

The Growlers have now won the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night award seven times this season and 14 times since the beginning of 2023. Both mark as the most of any team in the Northwoods League.

With the least amount of walks, lowest WHIP, most shutouts, and highest first-pitch strike percentage of anyone in the Northwoods League, K-Zoo now holds the third-best ERA at 4.27.