Growlers Take Game Two Amidst Gloomy Weather

Kalamazoo, MI – The Traverse City Pit Spitters lose game two of the series against the Kalamazoo Growlers, 18-6. The Pit Spitters drop to 1-1 in postseason play.

After an hour and a half rain delay, Andrew Mannelly doubled to center field to get the offense going for the Pit Spitters in the top of the first inning. Colin Summerhill then singled to right field to give the Pit Spitters an early 1-0 lead. The Growlers didn’t stay quiet for long as Myles Beale and Gabe Springer hit back-to-back singles to begin the bottom of the first inning. Anthony Stephan singled to right field, scoring Beale to tie the game at 1-1. After Banks Tolley singled to right, followed by a Will Furniss walk, Korbin Griffin singled to right field scoring Stephan and Tolley to take a 3-1 lead. Furniss then came into score after an error made by Pit Spitters catcher Tyler Minnick extending their lead to 4-1. Alec Atkinson started the offense in the top of the second with an infield single. Colin Summerhill drove in Atkinson to cut into the Growlers lead 4-2. Evan Orzech led off the top of the third inning with a single to center, followed by a double to left field by Devin Hukill. Camden Traficante tripled to right center field, scoring Orzech and Hukill to tie the game at 4-4. Atkinson then hit a sacrifice flyout, scoring Traficante to take back the lead 5-4. Stephan led off the bottom half of the third inning with a double to right field, and then was driven in on a Tolley two-run home run to give the Growlers back a 6-5 lead. Furniss, Griffin, and Rodriguez all drew a walk to load the bases. Furniss then came into score on a wild pitch thrown by Quinn Berglin to extend the Growlers lead 7-5. Colin Blanchard then singled to right field, scoring Griffin and Rodriguez to make it 9-5. Gavin Lewis Jr. and Springer then walked to reload the bases. Blanchard came into score after a wild pitch thrown by Hayden Brown to push the Growlers lead to 10-5. Tolley capped off the big inning for the Growlers with his second home run of the inning, this time a grand slam, to give the Growlers a 14-5 lead. Summerhill led off the top of the fourth inning with a walk and made his way to second following a wild pitch thrown by Carson Byers. Following a postponement to the next day due to inclement weather, Parker Brosius drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Minnick then doubled to right field scoring Summerhill to cut into the Growlers lead 14-6. Blanchard and Lewis Jr. led off the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back walks. Myles Beale singled to left field, scoring Blanchard to make it 15-6. Following a Springer walk, Lewis Jr. came into score pushing the Growlers lead to 16-6. Furniss capped off the offensive inning with a single to left field scoring Beale and Springer to make it 18-6. The Growlers cruised on to win game two of the Great Lakes Division series by the score of 18-6.

The Pit Spitters drop to 1-1 in postseason play, while the Growlers improve to 1-1 in postseason play. Pit Spitters starting pitcher Nathan Dvorsky threw an inning and gave up three runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout. Quinn Berglin threw an inning of relief, giving up six runs, on three hits, four walks, and struck out two. Hayden Brown threw a third of an inning, giving up four runs, on one hit and three walks. Logan Mccleery threw two and two thirds of an inning, giving up three runs on five walks, four hits, and struck out three. Mason Hill threw two innings of scoreless relief, giving up a hit and two walks. Easton Johnson threw the last inning of the game for the Pit Spitters giving up no runs on no hits.

The Pit Spitters will stay in Kalamazoo for game three of the Great Lakes Division series. Due to the postponement of game two, game three will be a seven-inning game, with first pitch at 6:45PM. 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.

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About the Traverse City Pit Spitters: The Traverse City Pit Spitters have been members of the Northwoods League since their inaugural season in 2019. The Pit Spitters have won two Northwoods League Championships and delivered their unique brand of FUN to hundreds of thousands of fans.  The Pit Spitters share Managing Partners and principal ownership with the West Michigan Whitecaps, the High A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, based in Comstock Park, Michigan. The team’s home games are played in Traverse City’s favorite multi-purpose outdoor entertainment venue, Turtle Creek Stadium. For more information visit https://northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/ or contact Jacqueline Holm at 231-943-0100 Ext. 214/ email JacquelineH@pitspitters.com.  

About the Northwoods League: 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’ 30^th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 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, over 325 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.