Pitching Pushes Growlers to 3-2 Sunday Victory
August 3, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Kalamazoo Growlers News Release
LOVES PARK, Ill. - The Kalamazoo Growlers (35-31; 18-13) rode a strong start by Brody Krzysiak to a 3-2 victory over the Rockford Rivets (25-38; 12-19) on Sunday afternoon.
The game would open with three scoreless innings, as Danny Cercello would toe the rubber for Rockford. The bottom of the fourth would see the first cracks from Krzysiak, as he would allow a leadoff single and double, with a groundout and single scoring both runs. Kenny Hirschfeld would ground into a double play to end the Rivet threat.
The Growlers would look to respond right away, as Jay Slater would lead the inning off with a double, before an error, walk, and hit-by-pitch would score the Kalamazoo catcher. However, two big outs from Cercello would see the threat end with a 2-1 Rockford lead. Despite a 90+ pitch count entering the sixth, the Rivets would elect to leave Cercello on the bump, and he would get two quick outs while dealing with Matt Thompson's leadoff walk, before KJ White would single to bring in Thompson and, following a stolen base, Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe would reach on an infield single, and White would score on an error, the third and final committed by the Rivet defense on Sunday.
Brody Krzysiak would continue his strong outing working around a leadoff error in the sixth, and sitting the Rivets down 1-2-3 in the seventh, ending Krzysiak's day on 97 pitches and seven innings of two-run ball. Bryce Brannon would be the first man out of the 'pen. Following a leadoff flyout, Brannon would suffer a walk and hit-by-pitch, but force a key 6-4-3 inning ending double play to stop the threat. The Growlers would go scoreless in the ninth.
Bryce Brassfield would get the call in the save situation, and get two quick outs, including a strikeout of Gavin Taylor, but hit Hirschfeld to put the tying runner on. The Rivets would pinch run with Ny'zaiah Thompson, who was a perfect 21-21 in stolen base attempts entering the pinch-running scenario. Just one pitch later, Thompson would be 21-22 in stolen bases attempts as Jay Slater would throw out the stealing Thompson for the final out.
Both Kalamazoo and Rockford would struggle with striking batters out, with both teams combining for just three total strikeouts, as the defenses were put to work. Kalamazoo also excelled controlling the run game, an emphasis from Manager Cody Piechocki entering the series. The Growlers would steal three bases themselves, and allow just one stolen bag while being caught once.
The Growlers remain in the lead for the second spot in the Great Lakes East, and will play the team immediately behind them in a matchup in Royal Oak on Monday and Tuesday night. Both games are slated to begin at 6:35 p.m. ET.
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