By: Amanda Orlando
ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Following a ninth-inning comeback and 7-6 victory for the Traverse City Pit Spitters on Saturday, the Royal Oak Leprechauns responded with a 6-3 win to close the series on Sunday.
Game one consisted of a tough fight put up by the Pit Spitters. Centerfielder Alfredo Velazquez led the way with a two-run home run to enter them into the win column in the top of the ninth.
For the Leprechauns, Tristan Crane tallied two hits, homering in the fourth and adding on another Royal Oak run with an RBI single in the fifth. Lucas Mead was another standout with two hits of his own and another two runs driven in himself.
Sunday’s game held another steady battle between both teams until the Leprechauns brought in three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Traverse City’s starting pitcher Connor Kelly couldn’t contain Luke Kosko who started the second inning with a home run sent deep over the right-center field fence, putting Royal Oak up 1-0.
The Pit Spitters would respond offensively with a home run in the third and a run-scoring double in the fourth, to grab the lead back and make it 2-1. During the third, Traverse City also was inches away from another home run, but Leprechaun’s left fielder Aamir Mitchell leapt up and over the fence to secure the ball for the best defensive play of the season.
After facing a one-run deficit, Royal Oak put up their best offensive inning, plating three in the bottom of the fifth. Carson Raether started the rally with an RBI double followed by consecutive singles from Oliver Service and Tristan Crane to secure the 4-2 lead.
The sixth and seventh innings would look similar for the Leprechauns with a sac fly from Mateo Noto to drive in his RBI followed by a Crane double, his second hit and RBI of the night.
Traverse City was hungry to pick things up in the later innings where Cole Van Ameyde tallied a run off a single to center field. However, their efforts wouldn’t be enough to secure the lead back with closer Kellen English striking out the side to close out the game with a win for Royal Oak, 6-3.
Prior to English’s save, the rest of the staff also provided eight innings of trouble for Traverse City’s lineup. Michael Giroux, Brett Faccio, and Andrew Everson each allowed just one run, combining for eleven total strikeouts on the night.
The Leprechauns will be taking the road for another two game series against the Pit Spitters followed by a two-game set at Kenosha before returning home for two more games against the Kingfish. First pitch for Saturday’s game at Memorial Park is set for 6:35 p.m. ET.
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