By Jacob Cotsonika

After only scoring one run on three hits against Wisconsin Rapids on Thursday, the Royal Oak Leprechauns flipped the script on Friday against the Rockford Rivets, plating 11 runs on 17 hits.

“It was a good bounce back (performance) after yesterday,” Leprechaun manager Chris Faust said after the game. “Our bats were pretty cold throughout the whole game (against the Rafters), and then we came out today and from inning one on after a little bit of a (rain) delay, we were ready to swing it. We held that through pretty much every inning in this ballgame. It was very fun to be a part of.”

Of the eight innings where the Leprechauns came to bat, Royal Oak scored in six of them, including during each of the game’s first five innings. The Leprechauns scored two in the first, one in the second, four in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth, and added one more in the seventh. 

Six hitters for Royal Oak ended up with multi-hit games, as the final total of 17 is the second-highest number for the team in one game since the franchise joined the Northwoods League last year. Four had three hits: Tristan Crane (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi), Devan Zirwas (Eastern Michigan), Jack Dauer (Yale) and Dylan Larkins (Georgetown). Zirwas also had two doubles. 

Larkins had three stolen bases, as well. It is the fourth three-SB performance for the Leprechauns in the NWL and the second this season (Max Orozco on June 5). Each of the first three times Larkins came to the plate, he slapped a single and then stole second. 

“I took BP (batting practice) today, and I was not as confident as I usually am that I was gonna get a hit,” Larkins said. “I was pretty happy with my first hit — I got on with a bunt — and I think that that just started it all. When you start the day with a hit, it just feels like there’s no pressure anymore.”

Only two Leprechauns had multi-RBI days on Friday, though. Those two were the team’s No. 8 and 9 hitters, Orozco and Larkins. 

Royal Oak also shut down the Rivets’ order almost the entire game. Four of Rockford’s five hits came in the seventh inning or later, when the Leprechauns already had the game well in hand. The Rivets’ two runs both came in the ninth inning after entering the frame down 11-0. 

Four pitchers combined to shut out Rockford over the first eight innings of the game. Colton Jones (Florida Gulf Coast) threw the first four innings of the game. Gabe Jones (Central Michigan) then got the next two. 

“Pitchers, they performed really well,” Faust said. “Colton Jones, he’s new to that starting role for us and yeah, he’s performing really well right now. He’s throwing a ton of strikes and is mixing up his speeds.”

Following that, Jackson Miller (Bowling Green) and Nick Brady (Thomas) each tossed a scoreless inning apiece. 

Now, Royal Oak will try and take both games at home against the Rivets on Saturday. Following that, the team will finish out the first half in Rockford on Sunday and Monday before starting the second half with a six-day, six-game homestand. 

The Leprechauns now improve to 14-19 this season, while Rockford drops to 13-16.