By: Noah Chavez
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – After six consecutive home games to begin the 2026 campaign for the Royal Oak Leprechauns, the team headed up to Traverse City to take on the Pit Spitters in a two-game set. Following a 9-2 Traverse City win on Sunday, Royal Oak was able to bounce back with a 4-2 victory in Game 2 to win their fifth game out of the last six.
In Game 1, Aamir Mitchell was the lone offensive standout, hitting a double and also reaching via walk, eventually coming in to score both of the Leprechauns’ runs.
On Monday night in Game 2, it was Mitchell who once again started the scoring, coming in on a Carson Raether RBI single in the fourth inning to cut the Royal Oak deficit to 2-1. A few hitters later, first baseman Oliver Service came inches away from a two-run home run for the lead, instead settling for an RBI-triple to tie the game at 2-2
As the inning continued, the Leprechauns would go on to grab the lead, with Andrew DiLodovico legging out an infield single to score Service.
Leprechauns starting pitcher, Luke Mucunek threw 4.1 innings without allowing an earned run, only surrendering one hit, while navigating seven walks. With the game seeing a few scoreless innings across the ensuing frames thanks to the bullpen work of Caleb Raymond, Griffin Howell, and Nick Stempnik, Royal Oak allowed little traffic until Traverse City had their best chances to grab back the lead in the bottom of the eighth.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the inning, Leprechauns skipper DJ LeMahieu called upon trusted lefty Danny Newman, who battled into a 3-2 count with Pit Spitters second baseman Ethan Guerra. In what was the highest-leverage spot in the game, Newman fired in a curveball at the bottom of the strike zone that froze Guerra, getting the Leprechauns out of the inning and sending the game to the ninth.
In the top half of the ninth, Royal Oak added on an important run of insurance to their narrow lead, with Oliver Service touching home as Mateo Noto beat out a throw at first to turn a would-be double play into a run-scoring fielder’s choice.
Holding a 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Leprechauns reliever Kellen English was tasked with closing the game out. Although two runners reached base to start the frame, English secured his second save of the season by retiring the next three Pit Spitters in order.
With the win, Royal Oak now has a long trip to Loves Park, Illinois to take on the Rockford Rivets in a mid-week two-game series. Then on Thursday, the Leprechauns return home to take on the Richmond Flying Mummies at the Lucky Corner. First pitch from 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.
