The Royal Oak Leprechauns squeaked past the Traverse City Pit Spitters 5-4 on Tuesday night through a four-run fifth and quality bullpen pitching.
Down 3-0 in the fifth against a pitcher sporting a sub-1 ERA, things looked bleak for the Leprechauns in their first-ever matchup with Traverse City. In what has become a nearly daily occurrence for this Royal Oak team, it took the lead in a blink with four runs in the frame after only two hits in the first four innings.
“Nothing [changed],” said Royal Oak head coach Jonathan Vance. “I think our guys were just sticking to their approach. I don’t think we did anything different.”
The four runs came against Traverse City ace Dylan Krause, who entered with a 0.45 ERA and wielding a streak of scoreless innings that reached 21 before the fifth.
Winning propels the Leprechauns to 11-10 in its inaugural season in the NWL. It is the first time they have gotten above .500 this year. The Pit Spitters fell to 10-11.
“It feels great,” Vance said. “It’s about time.”
The first run came across through an RBI single by Jarren Purify in his Leprechaun debut. Purify enters the lineup after starting regularly for Clemson and helping them to an NCAA Super Regional appearance.
Parker Picot then tied the game with a two-RBI double, hitting in Purify and Oliver Service, who singled earlier in the inning.
“Picot came up big,” Purify said.
Nate Ball got Picot home after a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to take the lead.
The deciding run was the wildest. Michael Lareau stole home in the sixth inning with two outs, making the score 5-3 Leprechauns.
Vance said that it wasn’t meant to be a straight steal of home, but rather something that catches the pitcher off guard before the pitch. The pitch sailed high, and Lareau beat out Pit Spitters catcher Vahn Lackey.
“It wasn’t necessarily a steal of home, but rather a distraction.”
The initial 3-0 hole for the Royal Oak came in the first two innings. The Pit Spitters plated one in the first and two in the second.
Leprechauns starter David Lally shook off the rocky start, and threw three scoreless innings to end his day, and ended up with the win.
The thing that kept Royal Oak in the lead from the fifth inning on was the bullpen. Three pitchers combined to allow just one run in the final four innings. Gavin Moczydlowsky gave up a run in the seventh, but was able to retain the lead after getting out of a bases loaded, one out jam after that.
Fresno State’s JT Guerrero got the eighth, stranding another runner in scoring position.
Jake Jekielek received the ninth, seeking his fourth save. He struck out the first two batters he saw, and forced a groundout to end it.
Royal Oak and Traverse City will still see plenty of one another this year. The two teams play twice on Wednesday (1:05 p.m. and 6:35 p.m.) and on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. In total, the season series includes 10 games.
