KENOSHA, Wis. – The Kenosha Kingfish (5-9) lost to the Battle Creek Bombers (6-8) by a final score of 6-2 on Monday evening at Simmons Field.
The Bombers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a dropped third strike that allowed Josh Sears (Freed Hardeman) to score from third base.
Battle Creek added a second run in the third inning on a hard-hit line drive that deflected off the glove of Ethan Owens (Drury) into center field.
Joey Scaffidi (Wisconsin-Milwaukee) trotted home in the third inning after Nate Thomas (Saint Joseph’s) walked with the bases loaded to cut Kenosha’s deficit to one run at 2-1.
Kenosha starting pitcher Ben Stephens (Eastern Illinois) exited the game in the fourth inning with a final line of 3 1/3 innings pitched, one earned run, two hits, four walks and seven strikeouts.
Thomas tied the game up at two in the fifth inning on a solo home run down the right field line. The hit was Kenosha’s first on the night.
Tanner Fallon (Loras) worked 2 2/3 perfect innings in relief of Stephens before Troy Hickey (Madison College) took over in the seventh inning.
Sears put Battle Creek back in front with an RBI single to center field in the seventh inning. Then John Malcom (Vanderbilt) plated Roy Thurman (Akron) to give the Bombers a 4-2 lead.
Malcom gave Battle Creek a couple of insurance runs on a two-run blast in the eight inning to make the score 6-2 in favor of the road team.
Malcom reached base three times on Monday, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a pair of runs and three RBI in addition to the home run.
Burrell Jones (Wabash Valley) closed out the ninth for Battle Creek with a clean inning, including a pair of strikeouts.
The Bombers pitching staff surrended eight walks but was able to hold the Kingfish offense at bay, allowing just two hits on the night.
Beaux Bonvillain (Central Oklahoma) picked up the win for Battle Creek. Hickey fell to 0-1 after giving up his first runs of the season.
The Kingfish have a home-away doubleheader tomorrow with the Rockford Rivets. Game one in Rockford is at 11:05 a.m., and game two in Kenosha is at 6:35 p.m.
