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KENOSHA, Wis. — For the first time in eight years, playoff baseball was in the air at Historic Simmons Field for Game 2 of the 2026 Northwoods League Great Lakes Sub-Divisional Playoff series between the Royal Oak Leprechauns and Kenosha Kingfish.
After Game 1 in Royal Oak, where the Leprechauns took won by a final score of 6-4, it was do-or-die for the Kingfish, needing to win on Monday to force a decisive Game 3 on Tuesday night.
Hayden George and Taylor Falls, two impressive arms from each team, got the starts for Kenosha and Royal Oak, looking to lead their team to a win. Going into Game 2, both pitchers held ERAs under 4 and WHIPs at 1.00 or below.
George had already made one appearance against the Leprechauns this summer where he pitched four innings, allowing no runs and just one hit. However, Royal Oak was able to flip the script in the first, scoring three runs, two of which before recording their first out. A leadoff double by Michael Zielinski started things off and was followed by a hard hit single by Mason Barth. The third man up for Royal Oak was Connor Larkin, who was able to drive in the first two runs of the night with a single that got past left fielder Brendan Fritch, allowing both runners to score. Larkin would score the final run of the first after a double from one of the best hitters in the entire Northwoods League, and potential MVP Luke Kosko.
After a clean second inning from George, the Leprechauns would strike once again in the third, as Kosko extended the Royal Oak lead to 5-0 with a two-run home run, his 18th of the summer.
Nearly through three innings, Falls was perfect, until a late two-out rally sparked by Will Matuszak helped cut into the deficit. After retiring the first two batters in order, Matuszak’s double brought the top of the order to the plate with a runner in scoring position. Brendan Fritch would walk in the following at-bat, and a triple by Noah Alvarez brought both runners home, making the score 5-2 through three innings of play.
The fourth inning came easy for George, only taking him five pitches to retire the side, and bringing him out for a fifth inning of work. George would be able to retire the first two batters of the inning before walking and hitting the following batters. With Kosko coming up to the plate with two runners on, Field Manager Aiden Wirshing elected to make a call to the bullpen, bringing in Sam Yoder to try and prevent the Leprechauns from extending their lead. Yoder was able to answer the call, needing just one pitch to induce a popout and holding the score at 5-2.
In almost the exact same fashion as the third, Noah Alvarez found himself at the plate with two outs and two runners on. Matuszak reached via a fielder’s choice, and Brendan Fritch took a pitch off the elbow to put the rally in Alvarez’s hands. Once again, Alvarez was able to win the battle against Falls, pulling a single into right field and plating the third Kingfish run of the contest and collecting his third RBI of the night.
After six complete innings and 105 pitches, Falls’ outing would be complete as Jonathan Tober would be called on in relief and tasked with holding the 5-3 Leprechaun lead. Falls would allow four hits and three runs while striking out four.
Yoder’s outing was also completed at the conclusion of the seventh, allowing just one hit as Henry Johnson came from the Kenosha bullpen for the eighth. Still trailing by two, Johnson brought some life to the Kenosha bench as he was able to collect two strikeouts in the eighth and retire the side in order.
It was Tober out once again for the eighth, and down to their final six outs, the Kingfish needed a rally. Hunter Snyder started things off for the Kingfish with a leadoff single, another single by Jackson Brewer and an error by the Royal Oak right fielder allowed the runners to move to second and third with one out. Tober was able to avoid all damage, striking out Bennett Shealor and inducing a flyout to Noah Brandt, keeping the score 5-3.
Johnson held the score still through the top half of the ninth, striking out the side and providing Kenosha an opportunity to send it to extra innings by scoring two, and winning with three.
On for the save, and a chance to send Royal Oak to the Great Lakes Championship, Tober took the mound once again. The Kingfish due up: Peter Visconti, followed by Matuszak and Fritch.
It took only 13 pitches for Tober to get it done, striking out Visconti, getting Matuszak to ground out and Fritch to fly out to center field and secure the victory for Royal Oak.
That will be all for the Kingfish in the 2026 Northwoods League season as the Leprechauns will advance and play the winner of the series between the Lakeshore Chinooks and Madison Mallards which will begin later in the week.
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