
Pitching and Defense Tossed Aside in Thrilling, Extra-Inning Slugfest
June 28, 2022 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release
Battle Creek, MI - The Traverse City Pit Spitters and Battle Creek Battle Jacks combined for nine errors, 27 hits and 27 runs on Monday night as the Pit Spitters pulled out the 11-inning victory.
The Pit Spitters struck first with two runs in the first inning. Marshall Toole doubled home the first run and a Hunter Tabb sacrifice fly brought in the other.
Battle Creek responded with one in the bottom half and four more runs in the second. Due to two Traverse City errors, only one of those runs were earned.
The Pit Spitters bounced back with a six-run third inning. Camden Traficante had a sacrifice fly, Tabb an RBI groundout, Trey Truitt an RBI double, Dallas Duarte an RBI single, and Alec Atkinson had an RBI double. With the help of three Battle Jacks errors and four hits, all nine hitters stepped up to the plate.
Battle Creek tied it with a three-run fourth, but Traverse City responded again with two runs in the fifth. An error in center field on a Tackett single brought in Tabb to score the first run. Atkinson scored Tackett with a sacrifice fly. But Battle Creek refused to go away.
The Battle Jacks scored three runs in the sixth on a two-out, bases-clearing double. Then it was the Pit Spitters turn to answer. Tackett walked to lead off the inning. He would move to third on a throwing error by the catcher and score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 11.
The Pit Spitters took the lead in the ninth as Marshall Toole bunted for a hit to lead off the inning. Tabb moved him to second with a single. Then Toole stole third, then came in to score on an overthrow. But once again, the pitching couldn't lock down the lead.
Down to their final strike, Battle Creek tied the game with an RBI single, sending the game to extras.
In the 10th, Christian Beal scored the ghost runner from second on a sacrifice fly. After a Jakob Marsee double and intentional walk to Traficante, the Pit Spitters had bases loaded with one out. But they couldn't get a ball in play and left them loaded.
Battle Creek once again, down to their final out, singled home the tying run. But like the Pit Spitters in the top half, the Battle Jacks left the bases loaded and the game went to the 11th inning.
The Pit Spitters went up 14-13 on Dallas Duarte's RBI groundout. But like the 10th, they loaded the bases with just one out and couldn't score an extra insurance run.
That insurance run wouldn't matter as Anthony Ramirez finally broke through and clinched the win. Ramirez gutted out three relief innings. After surrendering two-out game-tying hits in back-to-back innings, he dug deep and stranded the tying and winning runs in scoring position. Ramirez struck out six batters, two in each inning out of the bullpen.
The Pit Spitters improve to 2-3 in extra-inning games. The only two wins they have in that situation are on the road at Battle Creek, with the first coming May 30 on opening day.
Up Next
The Pit Spitters wrap up the six-game road trip Tuesday against the Battle Jacks. First pitch for game two is scheduled for 6:35 ET.
Northwoods League Stories from June 28, 2022
- Mallards' Late Rally Falls Short - Madison Mallards
- Rox Finish off Sweep over Loggers, One Win Away from First-Half Title - St. Cloud Rox
- Wheaton Ends Storied Career with 8-0 Shutout Win - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Battle Jacks Dominate in 7-4 Victory over Traverse City - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Rockers in Pursuit of Series Split at Fond du Lac - Green Bay Rockers
- Growlers Win in Road Trip Opener at Kokomo - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Northwoods League Announces Marketplace for NFT Site - NWL Digital Dugout - Northwoods
- Five Run First Dooms Honkers - Rochester Honkers
- MoonDogs Buck-Off Watleroo in Series Opener - Mankato MoonDogs
- Rafters Come Alive Late in Win over Kingfish - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Stingers Outlast Express in Extras, 7-6 - Willmar Stingers
- La Crosse Falls to St. Cloud, 10-2. - La Crosse Loggers
- Chinooks fall to Woodchucks on walk-off hit - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Mallards Offense Explodes in First Matchup with Rivets - Madison Mallards
- Battle Jacks Drop Heartbreaker to Pit Spitters in 11th - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Rafters Come from Behind for Win - Kenosha Kingfish
- Pitching and Defense Tossed Aside in Thrilling, Extra-Inning Slugfest - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Two Homers Fuel Offense, Dock Spiders Win Fourth Straight - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Rox Win 20th Game of the Season in Blowout over Loggers - St. Cloud Rox
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Other Recent Traverse City Pit Spitters Stories
- Spitters Survive Late Inning Scare; Winners of Four Straight
- Gritty Spitters Stay Hot, Walking It off in 10
- Spitters Offense Continues Surge with Series Sweep
- Spitters Ninth Inning Rally Keeps Postseason Hopes Alive
- Series Finale Suspended Due to Inclement Weather

