TRAVERSE CITY, MI – The Traverse City Pit Spitters saw their season end on Monday with a 9-5 loss to the Kalamazoo Growlers.
It’s the first time in franchise history the Pit Spitters got eliminated from the playoffs (excluding 2020, COVID year.) The two-time defending champs fell short in their search for a three-peat.
Kalamazoo took the 1-0 lead in the first and made it 2-0 in the third. In the bottom of the fourth, Glenn Miller doubled down the right field line to score a pair and tie the game.
The Growlers responded with another two-run lead, scoring in the fifth. But once again, Traverse City responded. All with two outs, Marshall Toole walked and Brenned Dorighi singled. On the next two pitches, Colin Summerhill singled home one and Camden Traficante did the same to tie it up once more. Both were left in scoring position to end the inning.
Refusing to go away, the Growlers put up a four-spot in the sixth, with three of those runs coming with two outs. They added one in the seventh to make it 9-4, their biggest lead of the game.
The Pit Spitters added one in the bottom half, but they spoiled a great opportunity. They had bases loaded with one out and failed to do anything with the chance. It took a two-out infield single by Sam Tackett to plate one run. With the tying run at the plate, Kalamazoo got out of the jam and left the bases loaded.
Nate Blain shined out of the bullpen, retiring all seven hitters he faced to keep the bats quiet and give the offense a chance. But the Pit Spitters couldn’t muster a rally and fell at home.
In a season that had so much promise, the Pit Spitters fell short of the goal. But they are still the only team to win back-to-back championships, and they’ll be back to make a championship run next season and every season after.
The Traverse City Pit Spitters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 29th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, 300 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.pitspitters.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Pit Spitters as your favorite team.
