Kingfish Stop Pit Spitters Comeback, Win 9-7
The Kenosha Kingfish took out the Traverse City Pit Spitters 9-7 in a nail-biter Tuesday night.
With the win, Kenosha snapped a three-game losing streak and Traverse City’s six-game winning streak.
The Pit Spitters started the scoring off in the opening frame when Jared Miller sent Christian Beal home on an RBI groundout. The Kingfish quickly answered back in the bottom half of the inning when Jacob Tobias hit a two-run shot that sent Arizona St. teammate Drake Varnado home to make the game 2-1. This was Tobias’ first homer of the year.
Drake Westcott kept the Kingfish scoring rolling with an RBI double in the bottom of the third inning that scored Kevin Bushnell. After Tobias scored his second run on a wild pitch, Ian Collier sent Westcott sprinting home on a single to left field to make the game 5-1.
Kenosha continued to light up the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth frame, as James McCoy hit a leadoff triple before running home on an error off the bat of Bushnell. Bushnell then came home when Anthony Mangano walked with the bases loaded to make the game 7-1.
The Pit Spitters dug back into the lead in the top of the fifth frame after Jake Smallwood hit a no-doubt solo shot over the right field wall to make it a 7-2 ball game. The Kingfish would respond with another two runs in the bottom half thanks to a Tobias single (scoring McCoy) and a wild pitch where Tobias trotted home to give themselves a 9-2 lead.
Jared Miller and Camden Traficante both scored via free pass in the top of the sixth inning, as the Pit Spitters walked five times.
Traverse City cut right back into the lead with four consecutive hits to start the eighth inning. Marshall Toole, Hunter Tabb and Garcia were plated to make it a 9-7 ball game.
With two runners on in the eighth frame, Grayson Thurman came in and slammed the door while walking two and striking out two in a five-out save. This was Thurman’s fifth save in as many opportunities on the young season.
Kingfish hurler Luke Patzner (1-0) got the win, as he allowed two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in 5 innings of work.
Pit Spitters starter Aaron Forrest (1-1) took his first loss of the season. Forrest allowed five runs and seven hits while striking out two in 2.1 innings of work.
The Kingfish (8-7) and Pit Spitters (8-7) are tied for second place in the Great Lakes East division behind the Battle Creek Battle Jacks (9-5).
Kenosha takes on Traverse City in a double-header tomorrow, June 14. First pitch times are 11:35 a.m. and 6:35 p.m.
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