KENOSHA, Wis. – The Kenosha Kingfish (6-10) beat the Kalamazoo Growlers (9-8) at Historic Simmons Field on Saturday by a final score of 7-1.
The Kingfish pitching staff held Kalamazoo to its season low runs and hits totals with two and one, respectively.
The Growlers took and early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning without recording a hit because of three Kingfish errors.
Kenosha responded in the bottom of the first with a run of its own on a Mike Jarvis (San Diego State) double to tie the game at 1-1.
Luke Stephenson (Xavier) put the Kingfish on top 2-1 in the second inning with a home run that cleared the Bambino beyond the left field fence.
Stephenson went 3-for-4 on the night with a home run and two doubles.
Connor Mang (New Mexico) drilled a home run to left field in the fourth inning. Then Jarvis delivered a two-out base hit to plate two more runs. Brendan Hueth (Saint Joseph’s) stole home to make the score 6-1 as Jarvis intentionally got caught in a run down to end the inning.
Jarvis went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI on Saturday.
The Kingfish got to Kalamazoo starting pitcher Michael Dunkelberger (Indiana), tagging him for six runs in 3 2/3 innings. The outing was Dunkelberger’s first since the Northwoods League All-Star Game.
Kingfish starting pitcher Ben Stephens (Eastern Illinois) kept a no-hitter intact until Jake Topolski (Duke) grounded a ball between the shortstop and third baseman with one out in fifth inning. Stephens allowed no earned runs on two hits and two walks in five-plus innings.
Kalamazoo loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning, but Kingfish reliever Tanner Fallon (Loras) escaped the jam with no damage done. Fallon worked three hitless innings.
Jake Cosgrove (California-Irvine) came around to score on a wild pitch in the eighth inning to extend Kenosha’s lead to 7-1.
Jacob DeLabio (Carthage) closed out the game by striking out the side in the ninth inning.
Stephens improved to 2-3 for Kenosha. Dunkelberger suffered his second loss of the summer, falling to 2-2.
The Kingfish and Growlers will play again on Sunday at Historic Simmons Field at 1:05 p.m. CT.
