KENOSHA, Wis. – After a 3-9 start, the Kenosha Kingfish worked their way back to the top of the Great Lakes East Division and have secured a spot in the Northwoods League playoffs for the first time since 2018.

After the Lakeshore Chinooks defeated the Kalamazoo Growlers by a final score of 20-8, it was all on the Kingfish to secure their title with a win over the Traverse City Pit Spitters.

It was a back-and-forth game early for Kenosha and Traverse City as both teams took turns scoring in the first few innings.

In the first, Traverse City scored two runs after a two-RBI single by Colin Sander put the Pit Spitters up early.

It was a quick answer back by the ‘Fish as they put up three of their own in the bottom of the first. After J.R. Nelson and Owen Nowak both reached base to start the game, Brian Gould got the scoring started for the Kingfish with his first hit of the game, driving in Nelson with a single. Two batters later, Brendan Fritch drove in both Nowak and Gould with a two-RBI single to increase his team-leading RBI total to 30 this summer, putting the Kingfish up 3-2 after one.

Both teams scored once again in the third as Colin Sander hit a solo home run and Brian Gould answered with one of his own in the bottom half.
Traverse City scored in the fourth before Kenosha answered in the fifth as Josh Stonehouse hit a leadoff double and was later driven in via a sac fly by Jacob Kucharczyk. To earn the lead back, Brian Gould scored once more after hitting a triple and scoring from a throwing error, putting the Kingfish up 5-4 after five.

With a one-run lead, the Kingfish looked to add some insurance, and in the seventh and eighth innings they did just that. J.R. Nelson led off the seventh inning with a walk, and after Brian Gould’s double, it put runners on second and third with one out. Gould’s double marked his fourth hit of the game, and completed the first cycle in Kenosha Kingfish franchise history. Nelson would later score on a sacrifice fly by Brendan Fritch.

Logan Borboa got the start and the win for the Kingfish on Monday night, pitching five innings, allowing four runs on five hits and striking out four. In relief of Borboa was left-hander Ian Fisher who held the Pit Spitters in check through 3 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and striking out four.

Down to their final three outs, the Pit Spitters trailed by three runs. Before exiting the game, Fisher allowed a walk to Zach Kucharczyk and a single to Ethan Guerra, who advanced on the throw to third, putting two runners on with one out.

Sotaro Ishida was tasked with getting the final two outs, and he did just that, striking out the final two batters of the game in order

After claiming their first half title, the Kingfish travel to Traverse City to face the Pit Spitters for two more on their home field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CDT.

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