Northwoods Traverse City Pit Spitters

MacDaddies Win Championship

Published on September 5, 2020 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release


TRAVERSE CITY, MI - The Kalamazoo MacDaddies enjoyed a dominant pitching performance as they rolled the Traverse City Pit Spitters 4-1, earning a Northwoods League Michigan Pod Championship in front of a sold-out crowd Saturday evening at Turtle Creek Stadium.

Pitching was the story of the night as three different MacDaddies combined to strikeout 11 Pit Spitters while leaving nine on base. Starter and Western Michigan University product, Hayden Berg, dazzled on the mound going 6.0 innings while allowing just one run on one hit as he tied his season-high in punch outs with nine in the championship-clinching victory.

Kalamazoo jumped on the scoreboard first as second baseman, Sean Goosenberg, came around to score on a throwing error before right fielder, Ethan O'Donnell, ripped a two-RBI single to deliver the MacDaddies the early 3-0 advantage. The Pit Spitters failed to manage a single base hit until the sixth, when Tommy Troy scorched a single before coming around to score on a double steal, slimming the Kalamazoo lead to 3-1. In the ensuing frame, the Spitters were able to load the bases with just one out but failed to plate anyone as MacDaddies relief arm, Ricky Clark, induced a fly-out and a pop-out to tightrope out of trouble and keep the score at 3-1. Kalamazoo outfielder, Blake Dunn, added a lone insurance run in the ninth as he doubled to open the frame before crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Sean Goosenberg, extending their lead to 4-1. The Spitters managed to get runners on second and third with just one out in the bottom of the ninth before back-to-background outs ended their hopes at a comeback - sending Kalamazoo on to the victory, 4-1.

With his dominant performance, Hayden Berg (1-0), picked up his first postseason victory while closer, Ricky Clark, notched the save tossing 3.0 innings of shutout baseball with a pair of punch outs. Pit Spitters starting pitcher, John Beuckelaere (0-1), lasted only 2.1 frames while allowing three runs - two of them earned - on four hits in the loss.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Northwoods League Stories from September 5, 2020


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.

OurSports Central