Northwoods Green Bay Rockers

Bullfrogs Drop Wild Game at Kalamazoo

Published on July 27, 2018 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Green Bay Rockers News Release


Kalamazoo, MI. - The visiting Green Bay Bullfrogs (20-34, 8-10) tallied nine total runs in the final four innings of action; however, the late rally fell short as the host Kalamazoo Growlers (35-20, 11-9) secured a thrilling 13-10 victory at Homer Stryker Field Thursday evening. The Growlers improve to 6-1 against the Bullfrogs this season and 3-0 at home.

Kalamazoo struck first in the opening frame on a solo home run by Sam Hall to give the Growlers an early 1-0 advantage. Zach Daniels followed with a three-run bomb in the second inning, along with a pair of RBI singles from Hall and Matt Mervis to stretch the margin to a commanding 6-0 lead.

The Growlers scratched across two more runs in the third inning on an error and RBI single to make it an 8-0 game. Green Bay got on the board in the fourth with a RBI double by Riley Mihalik (Junior, Rider Univ.) to cut the deficit down to 8-1. Kalamazoo responded with two runs in the bottom frame on an Ivan Johnson RBI triple and Johnson scoring on an error to extend the lead to 10-1.

Green Bay would chip away at the deficit, scoring one run each in the sixth and seventh innings to trim the margin down to 10-3. Mihalik scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, while Preston Pavlica (Junior, Grand Canyon Univ.) registered a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

The Bullfrogs offense soon exploded with a five-run eighth inning to cut the lead all the way down to 10-8. Green Bay's scoring surge began with a RBI walk by Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo (Freshman, Navarro College) followed with Blaise Maris (Sophomore. Florida Tech) getting hit by a pitch to make it a 10-5 game. Alejandro Gonzalez (Freshman, Hillsborough CC) laced a two-run single to trim the margin down to 10-7, while a RBI base-knock from Mihalik made it a two-run ballgame.

Kalamazoo quickly answered with a trio of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on back-to-back RBI singles by Cayman Richardson and Johnson. Kawambee Moss then delivered a sacrifice fly to stretch the advantage to 13-8.

Green Bay would continue to fight at the dish in the ninth inning. A Cardoza-Oquendo RBI double followed by a Maris sacrifice fly made it 13-10, but it would not be enough as the Growlers held on for the three-run triumph.

Mihalik led the Bullfrogs offense with a 2-for-4 effort and two RBIs at the plate. Cooper Morrison (Sophomore, UC Davis) and Blake Nelson (Junior, Univ. of Michigan) each went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Cardoza-Oquendo finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored and two runs driven in.

Kalamazoo relief pitcher Dakota Roberts earned the win, improving to 2-2. Green Bay starting pitcher Justin Bureau (Senior, Ave Maria Univ.) took the loss, falling to 1-4. Growlers reliever Mason Shinabery earned his seventh save of the season.

Both teams face each other for the final time in the 2018 season, concluding the two-game series tomorrow night. First pitch is slated for a 7:05 p.m. EST start.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 27, 2018


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