A massive 1st inning rally boosted the Traverse City Pit Spitters to a 16-6 victory over the Rivets  on Tuesday afternoon at Rivets Stadium. The game was a seven-inning contest, as the teams were scheduled to play a doubleheader before game two was rained out. 

The loss is Rockford’s fourth straight and drops the team’s second half record to 12-19. Thanks to the victory, the Pit Spitters close the season series with a 10-1 record against the Rivets. 

Northwoods League newcomer Max Rundberg III (Fr, South Suburban College) made the start for Rockford and was roughed up. The lefty started the game by hitting the first three batters he faced. 

Rundberg continued to struggle, allowing all nine batters in Traverse City’s order to reach the first time through the order – eventually letting up 10 runs, nine of which were earned. 

Seth Masters (R-So, Illinois-Springfield) finished the first, allowing an RBI double to Chris Monroe (R-Jr, Central Michigan) before recording the final out. 

The hole would prove to be too deep for Rockford to climb out of, but the team’s bats came to life throughout the contest.

In the 2nd inning, Rockford scored twice, first on a fielders’ choice off the bat of Jake Bilotta (So, Rockford) and then an RBI double from DJ Noble (Fr, South Suburban College). 

Similar to their other victories at Rivets Stadium, the Pit Spitters didn’t stop scoring. Traverse City added single tallies off of Masters in the 3rd and 4th innings, and then rallied for four runs in the 5th against Brett Taucher (R-Jr, Quincy). 

Rockford scored three more times in the 5th inning to respond. Justin Kerestes (Fr, Northwood University) started the scoring by driving in Drew Stengren (Fr, Central Michigan) with an RBI single. Then, Johannes Haakenson (Jr, Concordia-Wisconsin) belted a two-run home run over the left field wall, his first of the summer. 

In the 6th, Noble picked up another RBI via a sacrifice fly, but the Rivets’ scoring ended there, as Traverse City kept Rockford off the board in the 7th to complete the truncated game. 

Game two’s rain-out will not be made up, as Rockford and Traverse City do not meet again this summer. 

Tomorrow, the Rivets will begin their final series of the season tomorrow in Kenosha at 6:05. Rockford will return home for the final two games of the season on Friday and Saturday, both at 6:05.