Pit Spitters Close 2026 with 45th Win, Multiple Franchise Milestones
Northwoods Traverse City Pit Spitters

Pit Spitters Close 2026 with 45th Win, Multiple Franchise Milestones

Published on August 8, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release


Traverse City, MI - The Traverse City Pit Spitters closed the book on their 2026 season Saturday night, defeating the Battle Creek Battle Jacks 9-5 in front of 4,410 fans at Turtle Creek Stadium.

The victory in Game 72 gave Traverse City a 45-27 overall record, tied for the most wins in the Northwoods League and the best mark in the Great Lakes Division this summer.

Despite the overall success, the Pit Spitters missed the postseason after Kenosha captured the Great Lakes East first-half title and Royal Oak claimed the second half.

Traverse City finished with the best overall record in the Great Lakes East for the second consecutive season.

The finale also featured multiple franchise milestones.

Infielder Ethan Guerra became the first player in Pit Spitters history to appear in all 72 regular-season games. Guerra finished the summer as Traverse City's single-season record holder in home runs with eight and RBIs with 63, while adding to his franchise career home run record with 11.

Kyle Timko made his league-leading 13th start and worked 1.2 scoreless innings, completing the summer with 74 innings pitched--a new Pit Spitters single-season record.

Timko finished 7-2, tying for the Northwoods League lead in victories while also leading the league in innings pitched and starts.

Traverse City had to rally to finish the season with a victory.

The Pit Spitters scored three times before the fifth inning, including an unearned run from Ian Robertson, Cade Collins scoring during a double steal and Collins launching his sixth home run of the summer.

Battle Creek moved ahead 5-3 before Traverse City responded with a four-run fifth inning to take the lead for good.

Wyatt Epple and Guerra delivered RBI doubles before Mason Pilarski added a sacrifice fly as the Pit Spitters surged in front.

Traverse City added single runs in the sixth and eighth innings.

Epple drove in his second run of the night with a groundout before Robertson capped the scoring with an RBI single as part of a three-hit performance for the Traverse City native.

The Pit Spitters used seven pitchers in the season finale.

Carson Anthes was charged with Battle Creek's only two earned runs, while the Battle Jacks scored five times between the third and fifth innings.

Nathan Webb, Noah Reeves, Ty Jenkins, Travis Bates and Josh Klug combined to keep Battle Creek scoreless over the final four frames.

Klug, another Traverse City native, recorded the final out on the mound to officially bring the 2026 season to a close.

Traverse City finished 45-27 overall, going 21-15 in the first half and 24-12 in the second.

The Pit Spitters will return to Turtle Creek Stadium in May 2027 for the franchise's ninth Northwoods League season.

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