Growlers Late Rally Enough in 12-8 Win
June 25, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Kalamazoo Growlers News Release
Kalamazoo, Mich. - The Kalamazoo Growlers (16-11) used a strong effort by Connor Shouse to defeat the Royal Oak Leprechauns (15-12) on an overcast Tuesday night.
Both teams would score in the first inning, before Kalamazoo would take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the second. Royal Oak would immediately answer in the top of the third on Aidan Schuck single before stranding the bases loaded. Brady Koester's day would end five batters into the fourth inning, as Brendan Burch would be called on to extinguish the fire, but plenty of damage would already be done, with the Leprechauns in a 6-2 lead. Connor Shouse would lead the fourth inning off with a 412 foot home run cutting the deficit to two.
In the seventh, Royal Oak stuck with Brady Baalaer into his third inning of work, as he allowed two runs before exiting with a runner on second and two outs. After handing the ball to Gabe Jones, he would walk Trevor Johnson before Connor Shouse would send his second home run 413 feet to left-center and give Kalamazoo a two-run lead. In the top of the eighth Brendan Burch would leadoff the inning with runners on second and third with one run, before Bryce Brassfield would enter in relief. Both inherited runners would score, sending the game to the bottom of the eighth in an 8-8 deadlock.
Ethan Lapointe would enter in relief for Royal Oak in the bottom of the eighth, and pick up two outs with runners on second and first. Lapointe would walk a run in with two outs before Nick Brady would enter in relief, opening with another bases loaded walk. Connor Shouse would cap off his spectacular day with a bases loaded two-RBI single that put Kalamazoo at their final tally. Brassfield would pitch a scoreless ninth to lead Kalamazoo to victory.
Following the Pit Spitters and Battle Jacks postponement, the Growlers now hold a full one-game lead in the Great Lakes East. Kalamazoo and Battle Creek will play two key doubleheaders to finish off the first half on Wednesday and Thursday. The Wednesday edition was scheduled to begin the year, and will feature two nine-inning games at C.O. Brown Stadium, while Thursday will be held at Homer Stryker Field and hold two seven-inning contests.
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