By Noah Chavez

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – With the 2026 Northwoods League season underway at Memorial Park on Monday and Tuesday, the Battle Creek Battle Jacks defeated the Royal Oak Leprechauns 1-0 in each of the teams’ first two games.  

Starting pitchers were outstanding for both teams in the opening series, with the Leprechauns’ Monday starter Drew Tolfree tossing 3.1 scoreless innings in his outing, and Cal Rutherford allowing just one run in 4.2 innings on Tuesday afternoon.

For Battle Creek, the starting pitchers were just as good, with starters Jackson Phelps and Craig Kabat tossing scoreless outings of six and three innings, respectively.

In game one, the lone Battle Creek run scored on a fielder’s choice that drove in designated hitter Christian Lopez.  In game two, second baseman Sonnier Moses legged out an infield single in the third inning for the series’ other run. 

Along with the pitching, Royal Oak was also aided by some standout defense throughout the first few games. Catcher Andrew DiLodovico was able to throw out three runners attempting to steal in the series, while Tristan Crane and Mateo Noto each had outstanding plays at shortstop and second base, respectively.

With the series against Battle Creek complete, the Kenosha Kingfish will travel to The Lucky Corner for a two-game set to continue the homestand in Royal Oak. First pitch for Wednesday’s game at Memorial Park is set for 6:35 p.m. ET. 

Tickets can be purchased on the team’s website or at the gate. Fans can also follow the team across all social platforms to stay up to date.