Fast Start Fades as Pit Spitters Fall 6-4 to Rockford
Northwoods Traverse City Pit Spitters

Fast Start Fades as Pit Spitters Fall 6-4 to Rockford

Published on July 27, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release


Traverse City, MI - The Traverse City Pit Spitters scored three runs in the first inning but were held scoreless until the ninth, falling 6-4 to the Rockford Rivets on Monday night at Turtle Creek Stadium.

The loss gave the teams a split of the two-game series.

Traverse City remains in first place in the Great Lakes East second-half standings with a 15-8 record, holding a half-game lead over Kenosha and a one-game advantage over Royal Oak.

After Rockford scored once in the top of the first, the Pit Spitters answered with three runs on four hits in the bottom half.

Ethan Guerra tied the game with an RBI single, recording his 50th RBI of the season. Cade Collins followed with a sacrifice fly before Sean Martinez delivered a run-scoring single to give Traverse City a 3-1 lead.

Collins' 19-game on-base streak--the longest by a Pit Spitter this summer--came to an end.

Rockford starter Gus Allred settled in after the opening inning, holding Traverse City scoreless over his final six frames. He completed seven innings without issuing a walk and allowed only one additional hit after the first, retiring 11 consecutive batters at one point.

The Rivets gradually erased the deficit, scoring in the fifth and sixth innings before adding two insurance runs in the ninth.

Caleb Kidd started for Traverse City and completed 4.1 innings, allowing two earned runs.

Jake Ickes, normally used as a starter, followed with four innings of long relief and surrendered two earned runs. Noah Reeves recorded the final two outs of the ninth.

Traverse City committed two errors, leading to two unearned Rockford runs.

The Pit Spitters attempted to rally in the bottom of the ninth. Martinez scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 6-4, but Traverse City could not draw any closer.

The Pit Spitters finished with five hits and were outhit 12-5. Their only extra-base hit was a double from Cody Freitas.

Traverse City will travel to Lakeshore for a two-game series against the Chinooks on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lakeshore enters the series with the most second-half victories in the Northwoods League.

Tuesday's opener is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Central Time.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 27, 2026


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