Loves Park, Il. – The Rockford Rivets (21-30) split their Thursday double header with the Lakeshore Chinooks at Rivets stadium after winning the first game 3-2 and losing the second 7-2.

The Rivet’s offense put them in the lead early in game one after left fielder Parker Bates hit an RBI double in the bottom of the first to put Rockford ahead. Right fielder Jake Vander Wal then singled to right field to score Bates and put the Rivets up 2-0.

After the Chinooks responded with two runs of their own in the top of the second, center fielder Brennan Reback hit a sacrifice fly to push across another run and put Rockford ahead for good 3-2.

Brad Littleton took the mound for the Rivets and picked up his first win of the season. He went 5.0 innings while allowing just two earned runs, no walks and four strikeouts. Anthony Holubecki then came in and put in two quality innings of work in relief and picked up the save as a result.

Rivet’s Manager Brian Smith commented on his pitcher’s performance after the game.

“Brad [Littleton] did a great job today and we are very happy to see him attacking hitters,” Smith said. Having Anthony come in and shut the door was huge. He came in at a tough position and did his job.”

Lakeshore’s bats then came alive in game two, as the Chinooks finished the game with 16 hits and seven runs.

Rockford’s first hit didn’t come until the top of the fifth, when right fielder Kian O’Brien hit a triple to leadoff the inning and later score.

Rockford would add another run in the sixth after second baseman Cade Bunnell hit a sacrifice fly to score left fielder Brock Martin to make the score 6-2.

Lakeshore would add on another run in the bottom half of the inning and the Chinooks would eventually go on and win 7-2.

“We didn’t play poorly today,” Smith said about his teams overall performance on the day. “When the wind blows in it seems like our team crushes the ball but when it blows out they don’t, it doesn’t make any sense.”

The Rivets will play the Chinooks again tomorrow in Rockford at 6:35 pm.

The Rockford Rivets are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.rockfordrivets.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rivets as your favorite team.