Pit Spitters Handle Rivets Behind Early Offensive Surge
Northwoods Rockford Rivets

Pit Spitters Handle Rivets Behind Early Offensive Surge

Published on August 5, 2025 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rockford Rivets News Release


TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - The Great Lakes East's most dominant team remained as dominant as ever in their final meeting with the Rivets.

The Rivets (12-21) surrendered a pair of big early innings and were handled by the first place Pit Spitters (25-8) to close the season series, 9-3. After an intense, down-to-the-wire finish to the series opener on Monday, the series finale was largely undramatic with the home Pit Spitters jumping out to a sizable lead and shutting down the Rivets the rest of the way to secure their 21st win in their last 23 games.

Both teams had some traffic on the basepaths in the second inning but were unable to cash in and open the scoring. The Rivets put two on with just one out before striking out twice in a row, while Rivets starter Tate Smith (Northern Colorado) had to work extremely hard to escape a bases loaded jam, ultimately freezing a Traverse City hitter for strike three to end the threat.

The scoring didn't begin until the third, when the Pit Spitters put together a big inning without needing a single hit. A hit by pitch and two walks loaded the bases before some chaos ensued, ultimately plating four runs. A fielder's choice started it off, followed by a controversial overturn of a close call at first base that allowed two more to come around and a wild pitch that topped it all off.

The Rivets were able to answer back with one run in the fourth on back-to-back doubles by Joey Appino (Carroll) and Gavin Taylor (UNLV), but it didn't take long for the Pit Spitters to re-assert their dominance with a devastating five-run fourth, once again jumpstarted by some wildness on the mound and finished off by a trio of clutch hits off Rivets pitchers Ty Horkan (Keiser) and Liam Howard (Webber International).

Outside of their one run, the Rivets' lineup had familiar results against a very familiar face in Pit Spitters starter Max Hammond who the Rivets have seen seven different times this season - by far the most of any opposing starting pitcher. The lefty tossed five one-run innings with seven strikeouts, finishing off a mostly dominant run against Rockford in 2025.

His departure didn't prove beneficial for the Rivets for a while, though, as 13 consecutive Rivets hitters were sat down before finally coming alive in the eighth with a pair of runs. Tate Shimao (Hawaii) drove in a run on an RBI double and Cooper Hinson (Marshall) followed with a sacrifice fly to chip into the deficit.

But it was too little too late for the Rivets who ultimately were swept by their division foes to conclude the season series between the two teams. It's Rockford's fourth consecutive loss coming off a promising stretch of play last week.

Up next for the Rivets - their final homestand of the season gets underway against the Battle Creek Battle Jacks on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets to Rivets games all season long at www.rockfordrivets.com.

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Northwoods League Stories from August 5, 2025


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