Pit Spitters Ride Convincing Win into All-Star Break Behind Timko, Kucharczyk
Northwoods Traverse City Pit Spitters

Pit Spitters Ride Convincing Win into All-Star Break Behind Timko, Kucharczyk

Published on July 5, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release


Richmond, IN - The Traverse City Pit Spitters improved their second-half record to 4-1 on Sunday night, beating the Richmond Flying Mummies 8-1 in a wire-to-wire victory at Don McBride Stadium.

The win earned Traverse City a split of the two-game set and sent the Pit Spitters into the four-day Northwoods League All-Star break on top of the Great Lakes East second-half standings.

Starting pitcher Kyle Timko and center fielder Jacob Kucharczyk led the way with special nights for Traverse City.

Timko dealt eight innings on 99 pitches without allowing an earned run, marking the longest start by a Pit Spitters arm this season.

The left-hander collected his fourth win of the summer, tied for second most in the Northwoods League. He also improved his season innings total to 42, also tied for second most in the league.

Kucharczyk set single-game season highs in both hits and stolen bases, finishing 4-for-6 while swiping three bags. The three steals pushed him into the team lead with 15 on the summer. He also added two doubles, two RBI, and a run scored.

Traverse City scored in each of the first three innings out of the gate.

In the first, Cade Collins delivered a two-out, two-run single for his first two RBI of the summer in his third game of 2026.

Aggressive baserunning helped the Pit Spitters add single runs in the second and third. JT Smith scored on a double steal in the second, and Colin Sander came home on a wild pitch in the third.

Traverse City ran wild on the bases all night, stealing 10 bags total, one shy of its single-game season high. Kucharczyk led the way with three steals, while Sander and Collins also recorded multi-steal games.

Richmond's only run against Timko came unearned in the fifth. Traverse City answered immediately in the next half inning, as Kucharczyk ripped a two-run double to stretch the lead to 6-1.

The Flying Mummies nearly matched the Pit Spitters in hits, with Richmond collecting nine compared to Traverse City's 11, but Timko continued to find timely outs. He stranded the bases loaded in the fourth and stayed efficient late, including a four-pitch sixth inning.

Traverse City capped the scoring in the ninth, when Noah Gerrick doubled with the bases loaded to drive in two and make it 8-1.

David Heefner handled the ninth and struck out the side to secure the series split.

The Pit Spitters (4-1) will enter the All-Star break in first place in the Great Lakes East second-half standings.

The Northwoods League Home Run Challenge on July 7 and the Northwoods League All-Star Game on July 8 will take place at the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, Iowa for the first time. Both events will be streamed live on FloSports at 5:00 p.m. CDT.

Three Pit Spitters will represent the Great Lakes: starter Connor Kelly from Northwood, along with relievers Bryce Suiter from Texas Tech and Charlie Wolf from Princeton.

Traverse City returns to action on the road in Kalamazoo on July 10 and 11 before coming back to Turtle Creek Stadium to face the Madison Mallards on July 12 and 13.

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



Northwoods League Stories from July 5, 2026


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