Traverse City, Mich. – It’s been a tough start for the Chinooks coming back from the All-Star Break as they fell to the Pit Spitters for the second day in a row. 

The Chinooks (8-6) took a tough 12- 3 loss in Traverse City against the Pit Spitters (10-3) on Friday. 

Unlike the night before, the Chinooks started off on top first, but one heavy run inning by the Pit Spitters set them back in a deep deficit. 

Lakeshore scored their first run in the third inning taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout by Marcus Cline scoring Joey Spence after he reached scoring position on a leadoff double. 

Matthew Muller (0-1, 0.76 ERA) got the start on the mound for the Chinooks. In Mueller’s Chinook debut he pitched two and two-thirds innings allowing three runs on four hits. 

The Pit Spitters took the lead in the bottom of the third inning after scoring two runs on a ground-rule double to center field by Brennen Dorighi. A single to right field by Marshall Toole gave the Pit Spitters another run to take a 3-1 lead.

Collin Dailey (0-1, 10.80 ERA) came in for the Chinooks pitching one inning. Dailey struggled on the mound allowing six runs on three hits, walking three batters and had three strikeouts.

In the fourth inning, the Pit Spitters took their lead beyond the reach of the Chinooks as they then led 9-1 on a wild pitch, three base hits, a double, and a RBI walk. 

The Chinooks bounced back after the Pit Spitters ran the bases by sitting Traverse City down in order in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

Keeping the momentum moving forward was Michael Seegers working a leadoff walk. Seegers advanced to scoring position on a Pit Spitter error and Caden Kaiser brought in Seegers to score on an RBI groundout to third base. The Chinooks found more runners aboard in scoring position after Stephen Hrustich advanced to third on errors, but runners were stranded as they lacked base hits to bring them around. 

Luke Llewellyn (0-0, 15.95 ERA) took the mound for the Chinooks in the sixth inning. Llewellyn in his first inning sat all three batters down from a ground out back to the mound and two strikeouts. 

Llewellyn pitched two innings for the Chinooks allowing two runs on two hits, one walk and had four strikeouts. 

The Chinooks began to start something on two outs in the seventh inning when Cline had a base hit to center field. Nathan Aide moved Cline into scoring position and himself to first on a four-pitch walk. Although they found runners aboard, the Chinooks’ chance to bring in runs was put to a stop by the Pit Spitters defense.

 The Pit Spitters brought in two more runs on their second RBI ground rule double and an RBI single to right field taking a 11-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh. 

Jackson Reid (3-0, 4.38 ERA) and Arthur Liebau (0-0, 2.70 ERA) also made appearances on the mound for the Chinooks.

The Chinooks continued to find success on two outs. In the eighth inning Andy Nelson reached first on an error and then scored when Tony Livermore hit a double into the corner of right field to make the score 11-3. The Chinooks loaded the bases, but the Pit Spitters once again held them from bringing runs in. 

Answering right back after the Chinooks scored a run was the Pit Spitters taking their lead to 12-3 on a single to right field in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Pit Spitters threatened with two more runs but the Chinooks left them stranded. 

The Chinooks will be back at Moonlight Graham Field at Kapco Park to take on the Green Bay Rockers on Saturday. First pitch is set at 6:35 p.m.