LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Rivets’ bats kept swinging, but it was not enough to make it three victories in a row.
The Battle Creek Bombers (4-1) came to town Saturday night and were led by pitcher Tommy Parsons (Adrian College) to a victory over the Rivets (2-3). Cole Bellair (Illinois) took the loss for Rockford, giving up five runs in 5 2/3 innings of work.
Tom Stoffel (Virginia Tech) took Bellair deep in the top of the second inning, but Rockford quickly tied the game in the bottom of the second with Cal Aldridge (Wisconsin-Whitewater) scoring on a double from Tyler Lowe (Elgin Community College). The Rivets took the lead in the third off runs from Aldridge and Bren Spillane (Illinois).
The real damage came in the sixth inning, where the Bombers managed four more runs off Bellair (0-1). Nick Drahozal (Nebraska-Omaha) came in and pitched the remainder of the game for Rockford, allowing just one more earned run.
Rockford inched back, with Neal Tyrell (Lewis) scoring in the seventh and Spillane in the ninth, both on RBI from Hunter Feduccia (LSU-Eunice). This was not enough for Rockford, as John Rave (Illinois State) struck out with a man on base to end the game with a final score of 6-5.
Parsons notched the win for Battle Creek with 3 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings, and TJ Shook (Oakland) recorded the save.
Rockford’s young season continues tomorrow, Sunday June 4 with a matinee game at 4:05 p.m. as the series concludes with Bark in the Park! Bring your dogs to watch the Rivets take on the Bombers. Don’t forget to order your Rivets tickets today by calling the Rockford Rivets ticket office at 815.240.4159!
The Rockford Rivets are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League, which will play its 24th season of summer collegiate baseball in 2017. The Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, 170 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals), two-time World Champion Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (Boston Red Sox), Jordan Zimmermann (Detroit Tigers), Curtis Granderson (New York Mets) and Lucas Duda (Mets). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website, NorthwoodsLeague.com.
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