Royal Oak got shut out for the first time of the season, falling 2-0 to Battle Creek on Tuesday night. It had plenty of opportunities to prevent the result.
“It’s a baseball game,” said Leprechauns head coach Jonathan Vance. “Things don’t go your way. Sometimes they do. Tonight was just evidence they didn’t go our way.
The Leprechauns ended the night with seven hits and seven runners in scoring position stranded.
The first such opportunity was presented in the first. Two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out. Riley Frost attempted to advance home on a wild pitch, but was tagged out at the plate.
Royal Oak’s penultimate chance to put runs on the board also had promise. Matt Gonsalves had the chance to tie the game with runners on second and third in the eighth. He struck out to end the inning.
The inning before, Royal Oak’s first two hitters had outs on the basepaths. Collin Overholt got thrown out at third attempting to make a double a triple and Ryan McKay was caught stealing after walking.
“I got aggressive late in the game when I shouldn’t have been,” Vance said. “I’ll kick myself for that one, but I think these guys played well enough to win a ball game.”
Royal Oak was able to stay in it until the end due to a great performance from the pitching staff.
Nick Williams went five innings to begin the game, only seeing one unearned run come across in the second and allowing just one hit. His ERA was lowered to 1.54.
“Nick threw the ball well,” Vance said. “Had men in scoring position a couple times in those innings, but he’s got really good stuff, man.”
Unfortunately, Williams’ time in Royal Oak is limited, as he is only on a first-half contract.
“It’s been really fun,” Williams said. “I’m having a blast. My stuff’s been doing really well, my mentality has been right.”
The other run of the game came against TJ McAlister Jr. in the seventh on a wild pitch. McAlister got that inning and the sixth, striking out three.
Joe Turner got the final two innings, sending Battle Creek down 1-2-3 in both innings. Vance said that was the best he has seen Turner look.
Despite the phenomenal pitching performance that only allowed two total runs and three hits, the normally potent Royal Oak offense got kept off the board.
Parker Picot was the only Leprechaun to have a multi-hit game. He hit a single in the first and a two-out triple to deep left in the fifth.
McKay extended his on-base streak to 19 games tonight with a single and a walk. He had a 17-game hit streak going until it was snapped in Traverse City on Monday.
The Leprechauns hit the road again for the next few days. They play the Battle Jacks in Battle Creek on Wednesday, before traveling to Kenosha to take on the Kingfish on Thursday and Friday.
Royal Oak’s next home set is a three-day homestand from June 29 to July 1. The first two games will be with the Green Bay Rockers, who are the defending NWL champions. The third will be with the Kalamazoo Growlers.
