By: Kyle Tausk
Battle Creek, Mich. — It was certainly a scary Friday the 13th in Battle Creek… if you’re a pitcher.
After a low scoring pitcher’s duel on Thursday night in which neither team plated a run in regulation, Friday’s rematch between the Rivets and Battle Jacks was anything but. The Battle Jacks (9-9) jumped on Rockford early and hung strong the rest of the way, earning a series split against the Rivets (10-7) with a 13-10 win.
The two teams traded blows back and forth throughout the rainy evening at MCCU Field but ultimately, the Battle Jack offense, which had been completely shut down a night ago, had too many answers.
After scoring just one run across 11 innings on Thursday against Rockford’s pitching staff, the Battle Jacks let out some offensive frustrations in this one from the jump. Battle Creek plated five first inning runs off Rivets starter Alexander Llinas (Nova Southeastern) and forced the lefty out of the game due to reaching the Northwoods League’s 35-pitch inning limit.
The Rivets responded quickly in the top of the second, cutting the deficit to just one with a four-run inning. Nolan Belcher (Kentucky) was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run, which was followed by an RBI groundout by Cal Jones (Henderson State). With two outs, Zeb Allen (Central Arkansas) roped a two-run triple past Battle Creek’s right fielder but was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch it into an inside the park home run after the ball caromed off the wall.
The Battle Jacks got their lead back to three in the bottom half of the inning on a sac fly and a passed ball. They added another run in the fourth on an errant pickoff throw by Rivets pitcher Luke Guest (Northern Colorado).
The Rivets punched back again in the top of the fifth. After loading the bases with nobody out, Jayce Blalock (Arkansas-Little Rock) drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Later in the inning, with two in scoring position and two outs, a blooper off the bat of Jackson Forbes (Arizona) found the left field grass to score two more and bring the Rivets back within one.
The shutdown inning eluded the Rivets once again in the bottom of the inning, however. The Battle Jacks delivered the most devastating blow of the evening with a four-run response in the fifth off Rivets pitcher Caleb Strmiska (McNeese State). Four hits, a walk and an error doomed the Rivets as Battle Creek took a commanding 12-7 lead that they wouldn’t let up.
The Rivets didn’t go down without a fight. They scored three more runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to just two thanks to a two-run single by Tommy Townsend (Butler) and an RBI groundout by Allen. The Rivets brought the tying run into scoring position with two outs, but Kolby Felix (Colorado Mesa) was frozen on a 3-2 count to keep the Battle Jacks in front.
The Battle Jacks added a little extra insurance in the eighth to push the lead to three before closing the game down in the ninth to salvage a series split in their home ballpark.
It was an uncharacteristic night for the Rivets’ pitching staff, who had last allowed double digit runs on June 3 against the Growlers. Manager Chase Brewster had to call on seven different arms to get through eight innings in the game, with Guest being the only Rivet pitcher to stay on the mound for two full innings.
Offensively, Felix extended his Northwoods League-leading on base streak to 17 games to begin the season, while Allen notched three more RBIs to take the team lead with 15 despite starting just his eighth game. Sam Flores (Kansas State), who joined the team earlier this week, had his first big game at the plate with three hits, while Blalock, Townsend and Forbes all tallied two hits apiece.
Despite the loss, the Rivets remain tied atop the Great Lakes East division with Kalamazoo entering this weekend’s home series against Royal Oak. The Rivets will host the Leprechauns at Rivets Stadium Saturday night at 6:35 p.m.
Fans can purchase tickets for Rivets games all season long at www.rockfordrivets.com.
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The Rockford Rivets are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 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, 360 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. 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.