By: Niall Rosenberg
ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Rivets finally stopped the bleeding with another win.
After giving up 36 runs in two seven-inning games yesterday, the Rockford Rivets (6-9) took down the Kalamazoo Growlers (10-5). In a day when the Rivets’ pitching managed the red-hot Growlers’ lineup and gave the lineup the chance to win the game late. The final game before the Northwoods League’s All-Star break leaves a nice taste in the mouth of the Rivets’ faithful.
“It feels awesome, refreshing,” Acting Head Coach Griffin Smith said. “It’s always good. I knew when we came home that it would be a breath of fresh air, because it’s comfortability.”
In all but one game this season, the Growlers scored first against the Rivets. They would continue this mark in today’s game. In the top of the first, a two-RBI double to center would give Kalamazoo the lead.
The Rivets got on the board in their half of the third inning. After the first two batters were retired, they loaded up the bases for Conner Cunningham (Murray State). Cunningham showed great plate discipline, drawing a walk to score Tommy Townsend (Xavier). Kalamazoo’s lead was cut in half.
Kalamazoo continued their series-long strategy, consistently getting baserunners and hitting Rivets’ pitching. In the top of the fourth with two outs, a single, a walk and back-to-back RBI singles grew the Growlers’ lead to three.
The Rivets came storming back in the home half of the fourth. They started it off the painful way, loading up the bases with two hit by pitches and a single for Townsend, who wore a pitch off his back, scoring Dominic Archila (Texas Tech).
Harrison Bowman (Troy) came up after Townsend and drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the lead to one run, but that lead wouldn’t last long. Cooper Hinson (Marshall) hit an RBI single to left to tie it up, and Cunningham was the fourth batter hit in the inning to give the Rivets their first lead of the series. A sacrifice fly from Collin Taylor (Los Angeles Valley) gave the Rivets a two-run lead.
Being able to get runs across in important spots was crucial for Smith.
“It was great because we’ve had a lot of runners on second and third and less than two outs,” Smith said. “Guys are able to slow down the game a little bit… Just getting barrels on the ball, and let the rest take care of itself.”
The Rivets’ starter was southpaw Aiden Adams (Montreat). He struggled for much of the season leading up to this point, but put together a great start against a solid Kalamazoo lineup. Adams was able to get through six much-needed innings after the Rivets used seven pitchers in the doubleheader yesterday.
The Junior gave up four runs on seven hits, walking five and striking out three. His best innings came in the fifth and sixth innings to protect the Rivets’ lead.
Cunningham remarked on how the Rivets’ offense was able to help out the pitching staff.
“It just gives the pitchers more confidence,” Cunningham said. “They know we’re going to put up runs, and when we put up runs, it gives them more confidence on the mound to fill up the zone.”
The Growlers cut the Rivets’ lead in half in the top of the seventh. Rockford’s pitcher Charlie Kinkaid (McLennan) struggled with his command, walking three batters in the inning, with one of them being the sole run of the inning.
Kalamazoo continued to attack Kinkaid. A leadoff double followed by a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice flyout scored the tying run.
The Rivets weren’t going down that easily. A leadoff single from Bowman and a hit by pitch from Hinson put two on with no outs. A wild pitch advanced the runners for Cunningham. He hit a sacrifice fly to left, and the Rivets regained the one-run lead.
“You just got to man up and get something in play,” Cunningham said about his at-bat. “You can’t strike out in that at-bat. You have got to find a way to put the ball in play and just get something out there.”
The top of the ninth brought trouble for the Rivets. After getting the first out of the inning, Kinkaid gave up a single and was taken out for Connor Clark (Butler CC). The left-handed submariner walked his first batter, but got the last two out to secure the Rivets’ win. Smith appreciated the intensity of his players.
“Everything matters,” Smith said. “As long as you can think that from innings one through nine, the rest will fall into place as it should.”
The Rivets move to 6-9 on the season with the Northwoods League’s All-Star Break set to begin. They will return to play against the Royal Oak Leprechauns on July 18 at Rivets Stadium.
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.