Pit Spitters Advance to Division Championship on Walk-Off
August 13, 2019 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release
Traverse City, MI - The Pit Spitters are off to their first divisional championship round in style, running out 5-4 winners over the Kalamazoo Growlers, on a Mario Camilletti (SO Oakland) walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning. The win in game two of the Northwoods League playoff series enables the Traverse City club to sweep the Growlers, after their 8-1 victory in Kalamazoo on Monday night.
The Pit Spitters were able to stake out their ace, 2019 Northwoods League Pitcher of the Year, Andrew Hoffman (FR Oakland,) to a 4-0 lead, behind one run in the first inning and three in the fifth. Andrew Morrow (JR Michigan State) delivered an RBI ground-out in the first inning to get the scoring started, and Riley Bertram's (FR Michigan) RBI triple was the big blow in a three-run fifth.
The Growlers were able to claw back three runs in the top of the sixth inning, chasing Hoffman in the process, and tied the ballgame in the eighth inning, on a Shea Kramer, two-out RBI single.
With the game knotted at four going to the bottom of the ninth inning, leadoff batter Daniel Head (JR New Mexico State) worked a walk on the eighth pitch of his at-bat against Kalamazoo closer Eamon Horwedel. He was sacrificed into scoring position by Riley Bertram, which was followed by an intentional walk to Hudson Byorick (JR Wofford.) With runners at first and second and one out, Pit Spitters second-basemen Mario Camilletti stepped up and delivered a single through the right side of a drawn-in infield, scoring Head from second. The walk-off win in front of a crowd north of 3,200, takes the Pit Spitters home record to 31-6 on the season.
In his final start of the year for the Pit Spitters, Hoffman went 5 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, while striking out four. Kevin Hahn (SR CSU-Stanislaus) followed with three innings of one-run ball before giving way to Joe Pace (JR Michigan,) who threw a scoreless top of the ninth, striking out the side to take the victory.
The Pit Spitters return to action Wednesday, August 14, against the Madison Mallards in the one-game, winner-take-all, Divisional Championship round. First pitch will be at 7:05 p.m. Gates will open at 6:00 p.m. For each home playoff game at Pit Spitters Park, there will be $2 20 oz beers and hot dogs. Tickets are available online at www.pitspitters.com or by calling 231-943-0100. Prices are $6 for lawn and $10 for box seats.
Northwoods League Stories from August 13, 2019
- Express Claim Great Plains East Subdivision Championship - Eau Claire Express
- St. Cloud Battles with Willmar, Falls to Stingers in the Playoffs - St. Cloud Rox
- Stingers Sweep St. Cloud - Willmar Stingers
- 10th Anniversary Season Wraps up in Madison - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Bucks Blanked 7-0 by Express, Concluding 2019 Campaign - Waterloo Bucks
- Mallards Explosive Offense and Strong Pitching Eliminates Rafters - Madison Mallards
- Growlers Season Ends on Walk-Off by Pit Spitters - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Pit Spitters Advance to Division Championship on Walk-Off - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Loggers Wrap up Winning Season with 37-35 Record - La Crosse Loggers
- Rafters Travel to Madison for Must-Win Game Two - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Mallards Put Rafters on Verge of Elimination - Madison Mallards
- Green Bay Season Recap - Green Bay Rockers
- Phillips Homers in 2-1 Subdivisional-Opening Bucks Loss - Waterloo Bucks
- Delano Breaks RBI Record, Rox Fall in Game One of Playoffs to Willmar - St. Cloud Rox
- Mallards Roll Rafters 9-2 to Open Playoffs - Madison Mallards
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