'Fish Refuse to Fold, Stun First-Place Growlers in Extras
Published on June 23, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Kenosha Kingfish News Release
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Kenosha was three outs away from a gut-punch loss. Instead, the 'Fish delivered their biggest win of the summer.
Kenosha erased a late deficit, forced extra innings and stunned the first-place Kalamazoo Growlers 4-3 in 10 innings Tuesday night at Honor Credit Union Stadium. The win moved the Kingfish to 17-12 and pulled them within a half game of first place in the Great Lakes East with just six games remaining in the first half. Kalamazoo fell to 18-12.
The win also capped a 4-1 road trip for Kenosha, with the final Battle Creek loss washed because of a roster violation. The Kingfish are now 1-1 in extra-inning games this summer.
With three teams now separated by just a half game in the Great Lakes East first-half standings, the Kingfish return to Historic Simmons Field controlling their own destiny. Kenosha will begin a six-game homestand Wednesday night, starting with another matchup against Kalamazoo.
For most of Tuesday night, it looked like the Kingfish were going to ride their pitching to a clean road win. Kenosha struck first in the opening inning after Owen Nowak walked, Brian Gould singled and Jackson Brewer lifted a sacrifice fly to score Nowak.
The Kingfish added another run in the third when Gould singled again and later scored on a bases-loaded walk to Hunter Snyder, giving Kenosha a 2-0 lead.
Nate O'Donnell was outstanding on the mound. The freshman right-hander worked five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out seven. Henry Johnson followed and kept Kalamazoo off the board until the eighth.
That is when the game flipped.
Kalamazoo entered the eighth trailing 2-0 and finally broke through. Joshua Algarin was hit by a pitch, Josh Campbell walked and Hutson Chance delivered a two-run double to left to tie the game. Nicholas Frontino followed with a single to left, scoring Chance and giving the Growlers their first lead of the night at 3-2.
The Growlers were three outs away from taking control of the series.
The Cardiac 'Fish had other plans.
In the ninth, Gould worked a leadoff walk and Brewer followed with another free pass. Noah Brandt then flew out to center, moving Gould to third. Snyder came through with the game-tying sacrifice fly, bringing Gould home and sending the game to the bottom of the ninth tied 3-3.
Nick Heitman then gave Kenosha a chance to win it. The right-hander worked around pressure in the ninth, and the Kingfish made Kalamazoo pay in the 10th.
With Remo Indomenico starting the inning at second, he moved to third on a wild pitch. Ezra Essex then delivered the swing of the night, shooting a single to right field to score Indomenico and put Kenosha back in front 4-3.
Heitman finished it from there. After Kalamazoo put the tying run aboard in the bottom of the 10th, Kenosha turned a massive double play before Heitman got Mitchell Morton to strike out and end the game.
Heitman earned the win, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Preston Cosby took the loss for Kalamazoo.
Gould led the Kingfish offense with two hits, two walks, a stolen base and two runs scored. J.R. Nelson and Brandt also had two hits, while Essex delivered the go-ahead knock in extras.
The Kingfish will continue the four-game set against Kalamazoo on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. CDT at Historic Simmons Field.
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