By Ashley Birkeness
Rockford, IL – In the race for the first-place spot to secure a playoff spot, the Rockford Rivets and the Traverse City Pit Spitters went head-to-head on Friday night.
After finding themselves down 4-0, the Rivets rallied in a four-run inning to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Despite the sixth-inning comeback, the Rivets couldn’t answer back after the Pit Spitters regained the lead in the eighth inning.
The Pit Spitters jumped out early when Jack Crighton led off the inning with a double to center field. Crighton moved over to third on a 4-3 ground out in the next at-bat then was brought home on a Colin Summerhill double to right field to put Traverse City up 1-0.
Cale McCallister (2-1, ERA 11) got the start on the mound for the Rivets pitching four innings. In McCallister’s outing, he had three strikeouts while giving up two runs on four hits.
In the top of the third, the Pit Spitters added to their lead when Summerhill hit a single to center field to bring home Parker Brosius after he was walked earlier in the inning.
In the top of the sixth inning, Traverse City added to their momentum when Camden Traficante reached base on a single to right field then two pitches later advanced to third when Jack Crighton doubled to left field. In the next at-bat, Brosius singled to deep center field scoring Traficante and Crighton, putting the Pit Spitters up 4-0.
Nick Vollmert (0-0, SV 1, ERA 4.13) came into pitch in the top of the fifth inning striking out three batters while giving up two runs on four hits in two innings pitched.
After the Pit Spitters opened up their lead, the Rivets found production at the plate when Jack Scheri led off the inning with a walk and then moved into scoring position when Matt Mebane hit a single to left field. In the next at bat, Aaron Harper singled to center field to score Scheri and advance Mebane to second. After a wild pitch, Mebane advanced to third then scored on the next pitch on a dropped third strike to put the Rivets within two.
After Evan Waters came into pitch for the Pit Spitters, Harper scored on a 4-3 ground out and in the next at bat Dustin Allen tied the game after he ripped a double into left field to score Bradley White who reached base on the dropped third strike that scored Mebane.
The Pit Spitters took the lead right back in the top of the seventh inning on a double to right field, scoring Andrew Mannelly who reached base on a walk.
Cade Schnider (0-0, ERA 4.15) and Jack Wajda (2-1, SV 1, ERA 0.42) both pitched in the seventh inning for the Rivets. Schnider gave up one run on one hit and Wajda in 2.2 innings pitched had four strikeouts and allowed no runs on two hits.
In the bottom of the seventh the Rivets got two runners aboard in Ben Hartl who was walked and Harper after he doubled to center field. Both runners were stranded and the next two innings the Rivets were put down in order to close out the game leaving the Pit Spitters victorious in a 5-4 win.
