KENOSHA, Wis. – The Kenosha Kingfish (2-5) picked up their first home win of the season on Monday night at Simmons Field against the Traverse City Pit Spitters (4-3) by a final score of 6-2.
Traverse City scratched across a run in the first inning after a walk and a stolen base by Trey Vanderpool (Trevecca Nazarene) led to a Mario Camilletti (Oakland) RBI single to give the Pit Spitters an early 1-0 lead.
Kenosha responded with three hits in its first at bat, including a Nate Thomas (Saint Joseph’s) double that scored Ethan Owens (Drury) to knot the game up at one.
Owens went 3-for-4 and scored twice in Kenosha’s first-ever game against Traverse City, which is new to the Northwoods League this season.
The Pit Spitters loaded the bases with one out in the second inning, but Kingfish starting pitcher Kaleb Schmidt (Drury) induced two popups to get out of the jam.
The Kingfish grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second inning on a Drew Dyer (Chicago State) sacrifice fly.
Hudson Byorick (Wofford) tied the game up again in the third inning with an RBI groundout on a cue shot off the end of his bat that hugged the line long enough for Camilletti to score.
But for the third straight inning to start the game, Kenosha scored in the bottom half of the inning when Thomas raced home on a wild pitch to give Kenosha a 3-2 edge.
Thomas reached base four times for the Kingfish on Monday, going 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, two runs and three RBI.
Kenosha gave itself breathing room in the fourth inning after the Kingfish loaded the bases for Thomas, who ripped a two-run single into right field for his second knock of the game to make the score 5-2.
Schmidt exited the game after the fifth inning having given up two runs on five hits and three walks to go along with seven strikeouts.
The Kingfish scored extended their lead to four at 6-2 on a two-out error in the sixth inning.
Newcomer Troy Hickey (Madison College) dealt four shutout innings for the Kingfish to earn the 12-out save and secure the team’s first-ever victory against the Pit Spitters.
The Kingfish and Pit Spitters will square off again on Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. Ben Stephens (Eastern Illinois) is the probable pitcher for Kenosha, while Cade Heil (North Georgia) is set to start for Traverse City.
