
Growlers Sweep Series Against Royal Oak in Home Regular Season Finale
August 9, 2024 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Kalamazoo Growlers News Release
Kalamazoo, Mich. - In front of a sellout crowd of over 4,500 fans, the Kalamazoo Growlers (40-29, 22-12) went one step further in its quest for its third straight postseason birth, taking down the Royal Oak Leprechauns (34-36, 16-19) by a final score of 7-2.
Kalamazoo's 40th win marks just the third time in franchise history the Growlers have won 40 or more games in a regular season and second in as many years. With the win and Traverse City's 15-1 loss to Rockford, the Growlers' magic number is down to just one.
To clinch the second-half title, all the Growlers will need is a win in its final three games or a Traverse City loss in its final two.
For the 13th time in the last 16 games, Kalamazoo struck first. Gabe Springer continued his now 24-game on-base streak driving in Brodey Acres on an RBI single in the first before Lawson Knight scored on an RBI fielder's choice by Trey Wells.
The very next inning, Knight would bring home another pair of runs on an RBI double down the right-field line. Down 4-0, Royal Oak would answer in the third off of a Lucas Rick two-run home run to left.
Kalamazoo immediately answered in the bottom of the frame. The Growlers' bats exploded for a pair of home runs off the bat of Korbin Griffin and Gabe Springer. Springer smashed his eighth of the season, matching his 2023 output before Griffin smacked his second in as many days and third in the last week.
While not his best outing, Growlers starter Ryan Kraft fought through 5.2 innings of work, giving up two runs, one earned, and striking out eight. In the outing, Kraft passed Growlers teammate Liam O'Brien for the team and Northwoods League lead in strikeouts and took over as the Growlers' single-season strikeout record holder.
After loading the bases and getting back-to-back strikeouts, Kraft was relieved in the sixth after 102 pitches. Donny Tober helped then strand the bases loaded, getting a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Tober stranded a pair in both the seventh and the eighth, striking out three before Carson Byers locked it down in the ninth sitting down the Leprechauns in order.
The Growlers head on the road for a doubleheader tomorrow against the Kokomo Jackrabbits. In a pair of seven-inning games, game one will begin at 5:05 p.m. ET with the second game beginning a half an hour after the end of Game One.
• Discuss this story on the Northwoods League message board...
Northwoods League Stories from August 9, 2024
- Rox Win Seventh Straight Game with 12-2 Takedown of Willmar - St. Cloud Rox
- Bold Breaks Another Record as Rockers Fall to Rafters - Green Bay Rockers
- We're in! Huskies Silence Honkers with Dominant Pitching, Earn Trip Back to Postseason - Duluth Huskies
- Chucks' Streak Comes to an End - Wausau Woodchucks
- Fifth Inning Dominos Hands Lakeshore to Loss in Tug-O-War Match - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Michael Perazza Walks off the Wausau Woodchucks 5-4 - Kenosha Kingfish
- Huskies Eliminate Honkers from Postseason Contention - Rochester Honkers
- Spitters Eliminated from Playoff Contention - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Kalamazoo Growlers Claim Second Half Division Title, Securing Third Straight Playoff Berth - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Former Wisconsin Woodchuck Parker Dunshee Debuts with the Braves - Northwoods
- Rockers Head to Wisconsin Rapids for Final Series of Season - Green Bay Rockers
- Path to the Playoffs: Huskies Clinching Scenario - Duluth Huskies
- For Huskies, Honkers, Everything Is on the Line in the Regular Season Finale - Duluth Huskies
- Ryan Kraft Wins Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night - Kalamazoo Growlers
- 1: The Magic Number to a Growlers' Postseason Berth - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Dock Spiders Win Second Straight Against Wisconsin Rapids, 6-4 - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Wisdom's 2 HRs Not Enough in Chinooks' Extra Innings Loss - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Growlers Sweep Series Against Royal Oak in Home Regular Season Finale - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Madison Mallards Win Instant Classic on Robinson Walk-off Hit - Madison Mallards
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
