Top 10 Sports Stories of 2023: No. 10 -- Pit Spitters host Northwoods League All-Star Game, Home Run Challenge, other events
Dec. 22—TRAVERSE CITY — The Traverse City Pit Spitters came up a little short in the Northwoods League playoffs, but it was still quite the banner year for the organization.
The Pit Spitters hosted the NWL All-Star festivities, several concerts, a major beer festival, a comedy festival featuring Bert Kreischer and many other national touring comedians, and Pit Spitters General Manager Jacqueline Holm was named the league's Executive of the Year.
Traverse City beat Kalamazoo in the Northwoods League postseason quarterfinals, falling to the Green Bay Rockers 15-14 in the semifinals. The Rockers went on to beat the St. Cloud Rox to win the championship.
The All-Star Game in Traverse City featured an appearance by Major League Baseball legend Roger Clemens to throw out the opening pitch.
The seven-time Cy Young Award winner, 11-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion appeared at the Northwoods League All-Star Game festivities, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch for a strike.
He said he hasn't done that much lately.
"I've done a few, but haven't done one in a while," Clemens said. "I can still probably get it about 85 (mph), but I probably need ice if I even throw one pitch."
Clemens' sons, Kody and Koby, played in summer leagues on their baseball journeys.
Roman Kuntz had the most colorful fan section for the Northwoods League All-Star Game festivities.
The Kokomo Jackrabbits player and former Great Lakes Resorter hit the deciding home run in the Home Run Challenge with his host family from Indiana in attendance in custom-made, bright-colored shirts.
"We were excited for all of the home runs," said Alyssa Richey, Kuntz' host mother, joined by host family members Charlie and Eleanor Richey and Lauryn Hicks. "We were really excited when they tied it, because he plays so much better in clutch situations. We were cheering for the other team to tie it."
The Great Lakes West team did just that, and Kuntz blasted a shot to give East the win in the event's final at-bat. Kenosha's Brandon Nigh was crowned the individual champion.
The Great Lakes West defeated Great Lakes East 11-7 in the All-Star Game, with Wisconsin Rapids' Brendan Bobo winning Most Valuable Player honors after the Cal State-Fullerton product finished his second All-Star Game 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI.
Seven Spitters were originally named to the Great Lakes East Division roster. Catcher Tyler Minnick along with first baseman Colin Summerhill, third baseman Glenn Miller, outfielder Parker Brosius and pitchers Nick Powers, Mitch White and Ethan Foley earned an All-Star nod for a stellar season that saw them lead the Pit Spitters to a first-half division title in the Great Lakes East.
The Northwoods League added two additional Pit Spitters to the East roster as alternate pitchers Aren Gustafson and Aaron Forrest were selected to the team coached by Pit Spitters field manager Josh Rebandt.
The Pit Spitters just announced the regular-season schedule for 2024, the sixth campaign in the Northwoods League for the two-time champions.
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