By: Niall Rosenberg
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Rivets finally get one on the road trip
After losing the last five games of the road trip to the Royal Oak Leprechauns (5-3) and the Kalamazoo Growlers (7-3), the Rockford Rivets (5-6) snapped the streak. In a high-scoring first part of the game, it was the late surge that provided the cushion the Rivets needed to win. As it was at the beginning of the season, small ball is winning games for Rockford.
After the Growlers scored first in every game so far this series, it was the Rivets’ turn to get on the board first. A sacrifice groundout from Tommy Towensend (Xavier) scored Joe Forbes (Arizona). Harrison Bowman (Troy) took home on the wild pitch to give the Rivets the two-run lead to cap off the top of the second inning.
The Growlers cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning. An RBI-double scored their first run, and it was now a one-run game.
The Rivets continued to get on base and use small ball to score. In the top of the third, Forbes hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Conner Cunningham (Murray State) and give the Rivets the two-run lead back.
The early lead was short-lived. Kalamazoo put up three runs in the third, coming off of two different RBI singles. The Growlers continue to hit the Rivets’ starting pitching well.
The Rivets scored in the third straight inning. Keeping it going with the small ball was Nolan Belcher (Kent State). He grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Jayce Blalock (Arkansas-Little Rock).
The Growlers once again responded to the Rivets’ offense. To take a page out of the Rivets’ early innings, a sacrifice fly gave Kalamazoo their one-run lead back.
Rockford’s small ball wasn’t done, though. Cade Climie (Houston) scored with his smart baserunning, and Blalock gave the Rivets a 6-5 lead with a sacrifice groundout.
The Rivets’ seventh was about building the lead. Townsend picked up his second RBI of the game with an RBI single. Cooper Hinson (Marshall) matched Townsend with an RBI single of his own.
The Rivets kept their bread and butter going, small ball. In the eighth, they added another run with Blalock’s sacrifice fly scoring Climie. Bowman came around the bases on a balk to score his second run of the game. The Rivets were now up five runs on the Growlers to end the top of the eighth.
The Rivets’ starter today was Danny Cercello (Houston). Cercello has struggled for much of the season, sporting 17 earned runs in 13.1 innings of work. Today, he started out rough, but gave the Rivets an overall great start.
Cercello went seven innings, over half of his season total, giving up five earned runs. He gave up seven hits and five walks with two strikeouts. He progressively got better as the game went on and gave his offense the chance to grow their lead.
Kalamazoo got one run back in the eighth, but that’s all they would get. Connor Clark (Butler CC) closed out the game, and the Rivets took one from the Growlers. This is a big win for the Rivets as they get one from the whole road series.
Townsend was the player of the game for the Rivets. He went 2-3 with two RBIs, one run, a walk and a hit by pitch.
The Rivets avoid the complete road trip sweep and will return to Rivets Stadium tomorrow to take on the Traverse City Pit Spitters.
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.