
Rivets' 7 Run Comeback Bid Falls Short in the 9th against Kokomo
June 22, 2021 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rockford Rivets News Release
After Rockford found itself down 8-1 to Kokomo in the 3rd inning, the game came down to a play at the plate in the bottom of the 9th -ÃÂ but the Rivets fell 8-7 to split the series with the Jackrabbits on Tuesday night at Rivets Stadium.
Rockford's starting pitcher Bryce Barnett (R-Fr, Arizona State) got knocked around for 8 runs on 8 hits in 2 plus innings - including 5 in the first two frames.
After Barnett couldn't make it out of the third, the Rivets' bullpen kept the Jackrabbits off the scoreboard the rest of the game, hurling 7 scoreless innings.
Rockford's comeback started in the bottom of the 4th, as Phil Matulia (Jr, Louisiana Tech) reached on an error and Cam McDonald (R-So, Illinois) followed with a single, setting up Grant Magill (R-Fr, Indiana State) for a two-RBI single to trim the lead to 8-3.
Action subsided until the bottom of the 7th inning. Rockford started the inning by recording two outs, before Tyeler Hawkins (R-Fr, Louisville) and Daniel Cantu (R-Fr, South Florida) picked up back-to-back singles and Wade Elliott (So, Louisiana Tech) was hit with a pitch to load the bases.
Matulia then stepped to the plate, and sent a towering fly ball to right field. As Kokomo's rightfieder Dyan Dennis (So, Loyola Marymount) moved towards center to make the play, he lost the ball and couldn't make a diving catch, leading to a bases-clearing double to make the score 8-6.
The Rivets bullpen held the score there, as Bradley Deboutte (R-So, Wright State) pitched a scoreless 8th and Chan Yao-Ming (Jr, Kainan University - Taiwan) set down the 'Rabbits in the 9th.
In the bottom of the 9th, Hawkins started the inning with a four-pitch walk off Kokomo closer Tommy Peltier (So, Canisius). The walk was followed by two straight fielder's choices, bringing the Rivets to their final out with a runner on first.
Matulia then singled to left, moving Elliott to second base. McDonald then sent a routine ground ball to first base, but Martin Vinchelli-Simard (So, Sacramento State) booted it, loading the bases for Jared Cushing (R-Fr, Xavier).
Cushing sent a sharp line drive up the middle to score Elliott, but Matulia was thrown out by a laser-like throw from center field Jacob Marsee (R-Fr, Central Michigan) to end the game.
The loss drops Rockford to 9-13 on the season, entering a 4-game series with the Kalamazoo Growlers, which starts tomorrow at 6:05 at Rivets Stadium.
Northwoods League Stories from June 22, 2021
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- Booyah Drops Twin Bill in Wausau - Green Bay Rockers
- Chinooks fall to Wisconsin Rapids 6-3 on road - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Rivets' 7 Run Comeback Bid Falls Short in the 9th against Kokomo - Rockford Rivets
- Rafters Get First Win against Chinooks, Split Series - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Puppies Stuck in Mud, Larks Collect Sweep of Tuesday Doubleheader - Bismarck Larks
- Battery Lifts Kingfish over Pit Spitters - Kenosha Kingfish
- Woodchucks Beat Booyah for Second Time Tuesday - Wausau Woodchucks
- Mallards Shutout Fond du Lac to Pick up Ninth Win - Madison Mallards
- Pit Spitters End Home Stand with Loss to Kingfish - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Mallards & Meriter to Host Milwaukee Bears Negro League Tribute Night with Vaccination Clinic - Madison Mallards
- Woodchucks Finish June 8 Suspended Game, Collect Win - Wausau Woodchucks
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- Loggers Drop Series Opener to Saint Cloud, 4-1 - La Crosse Loggers
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- Stingers Bounce Back with 2-0 Win over Mankato - Willmar Stingers
- Growlers Bullpen Holds Strong in Fourth Straight Victory - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Mallards Lose a Close Battle against the Dock Spiders - Madison Mallards
- Honkers' Bullpen Holds off Huskies - Duluth Huskies
- Bombers Push Back But Fall Just Short of the Victory - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Honkers Stop Slide in Opener with Duluth - Rochester Honkers
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