Kalamazoo climbs back to beat Traverse City 10-9
Aug. 4—TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Pit Spitters aren't streaking anymore. The Pit Spitters three game winning streak was snapped Thursday after losing a 10-9 to Kalamazoo Growlers at Turtle Creek Stadium.
Traverse City had a chance to walk it off in the ninth inning with runners in scoring position with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts from Growler's pitcher Aaron Robertson closed the door.
Traverse City had a sizeable lead throughout the game until the eighth inning, when Kalamazoo pilled two runs to come away with the win.
Kalamazoo jumped out front with a 2-0 lead, but Traverse City responded with two RBI doubles from right fielder Michael Tchavdarov and catcher Ethan Hyme. Left fielder Andrew Mannelly sacrifice groundout helped the Pit Spitters take a 3-2 lead.
First basemen Colin Summerhill added more runs with a two-run home run, his third home run on the season, to go up 5-3 in the third inning. Tchavdarov added to the lead with a sacrifice fly.
Traverse City added two runs in the fourth and one in the sixth, but that wasn't enough to fence off the Growlers. Kalamazoo added three runs in the top of the sixth which set themselves up for the eigth inning fireworks.
Right-handed Jake Michel started things off for Traverse City, throwing two innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, striking out two and walking five. The Pit Spitters relied heavily on their bullpen, starting with right-handed pitcher Quinn Berglin.
The Lawrence University product pitched for three innings, allowing zero earned runs on three hits, striking out two, and walking none. Traverse City flushed out three more pitchers after Berglin.
They combined for seven hits with three earned runs, striking out five and walking two.
Pit Spitters (38-25) remain five games back from the Growlers (40-21) in the Great Lakes East with nine regular-season games remaining. The 131 Rivalry Series continues on Friday at Turtle Creek Stadium as Traverse City Pit Spitters rebrand themselves as the Up North Cork Dorks for one night only.
