Pit Spitters Drop Postponement Game

 Royal Oak, MI – July 3, 2024 – The Traverse City Pit Spitters lose the remainder of the postponed game that was retroactive to June 20, 10-9, against the Royal Oak Leprechauns.

In another edition of the Pit Spitters versus the Leprechauns, there was no shortage of runs. Ethan Guerra legged out an infield single to lead off the top of the first. Cole Prout hit a sacrifice flyout, allowing Guerra to score to give the Pit Spitters a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the first, Ryan Mckay singled to right field and later scored on a Parker Picot single to tie the game at 1-1. Cam Hollobaugh and Collin Overholt singled to lead off the bottom of the second inning. Tony Hatzigeorgiou grounded out to short scoring Hollobaugh to give the Leprechauns a 2-1 lead. Overholt scored on an error committed by third baseman Ethan Guerra to extend the Leprechauns a 3-1 lead. Jack Boike doubled to left field, scoring Frost to give the Leprechauns a 4-1 lead. Guerra led off the top of the third inning with a solo home run making it a 4-2 game. Prout was hit by a pitch and Vahn Lackey singled to right field to put two runners on. Brett Rozman singled to right scoring Prout to cut the Leprechauns lead down to 4-3. Ethan Belk then singled back to the pitcher which allowed Lackey to score to tie the game at 4-4. Hollobaugh doubled in the bottom of the third inning and later scored when Overholt doubled to give the Leprechauns a 5-4 lead. Brett Denby singled and Guerra walked to kickstart the top of the fourth inning. Denby scored following a single hit by Aaron Piasecki to tie the game at 5-5. Lackey then singled to left field scoring Guerra and Piasecki to give the Pit Spitters a 7-5 lead. Frost drew a walk and Boike singled to pick things up for the Leprechauns offense in the bottom of the fourth. Mckay then cleared the bases with a triple tying the game at 7-7. Jacob Billings singled to center field scoring Mckay to give the Leprechauns a 8-7 lead. Oliver Service singled to center field in the bottom of the sixth inning and later scored on a Billings sacrifice flyout extending the Leprechauns lead to 9-7. Lackey reached on an error committed by Hatzigeorgiou and Rozman was hit by a pitch to resume the postponement in the top of the seventh. Carter Hain by a sacrifice flyout scoring Lackey to make it a 9-8 game. Denby singled, scoring Rozman to tie the game at 9-9. In the bottom of the seventh Brock Olmstead singled to lead off the inning for the Leprechauns. Frost drove in Olmstead on a single to give the Leprechauns a 10-9 lead that they would hold on to win by that score.

The Pit Spitters drop to 0-1 in the second half and to 17-19 overall, while the Leprechauns improve to 1-0 in the second half and to 19-17 overall. The Pit Spitters starting pitcher Josh Klug threw two innings, giving up a run on five hits. Mason Hill threw two innings giving up four runs on five hits, walking one and striking out one. Zak Sullivan threw an inning and a third giving up a run on three walks and a hit. Jasen Oliver threw two thirds of scoreless baseball. Trent Reed threw two innings giving up a run on three hits, a walk, and striking out one.

The Pit Spitters will stay in Royal Oak to play game two of the series against the Leprechauns. First pitch is tonight at 7:05 p.m. 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/ or by email at 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 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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, 340 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.