Rivets Allow 12 Unanswered Runs, Fall to Pit Spitters

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Northwoods Rockford Rivets

Rivets Allow 12 Unanswered Runs, Fall to Pit Spitters

June 19, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rockford Rivets News Release


ROCKFORD, Ill. - That one got away fast.

On Rockford Speedway Night at Rivets Stadium, the Rivets (12-10) got off to the races early but watched their six-run lead quickly evaporate in a loss to the Traverse City Pit Spitters (13-11), 13-7. After another fast start, the Rivets allowed 12 unanswered runs in the middle innings and dropped their second consecutive game on the homestand.

"We had it all lined up just how we wanted it," head coach Chase Brewster said. "Anytime you have a six run lead after three innings, you should win every one of those."

The Rivets have made a habit of big first innings recently and Thursday was no exception. After the first three Rockford hitters loaded the bases on a pair of hit by pitches and a walk, Jayce Blalock (Central Arkansas) stepped in and crushed a grand slam off the left-center field scoreboard. It's Blalock's fourth home run in his last four games and the second time he's struck a scoreboard with one of his majestic blasts.

"I had a feeling he would just lock it in when I got up there and throw me a strike, and that's what he did," Blalock said. "I was ready to hit from the go."

The Pit Spitters got on the board with an infield single in the second, but the Rivets quickly got it back plus another in the bottom half. Tate Shimao (Hawaii) came around to score after getting hit by his second pitch of the game before Sam Flores (Kansas State) delivered a two-out RBI single to extend the lead to five.

The offense continued for the Rivets in the third as Jack Scheri (Wabash Valley) roped an RBI double to left field. It took Pit Spitters' starting pitcher Kellen Roberts, who was tagged for seven runs in total, until the fourth inning to hold the Rivets' offense off the board for a scoreless inning.

Unfortunately, though, they would all be scoreless for the Rivets from that point on as they failed to plate another run after their seven through the first three. And the Pit Spitters took full advantage.

On the mound for the Rivets, Kaysen Raineri (Hawaii) made his third start of the season after a pair of dominant seven shutout inning efforts his first two times on the bump. His near flawless work continued for four innings, allowing just one unearned run to score, but the righty finally ran into serious trouble for the first time all season in the fifth.

The Pit Spitters made a big dent in Rockford's lead with four runs, all charged to Raineri, who was removed after 4.2 innings of work. Traverse City notched three hits and a pair of walks in the inning, but the real pain for the Rivets came on some heads up baserunning that scored the third and fourth runs of the frame - catching the Rivets sleeping on one and stealing home on another.

Things completely unraveled for the Rivets in the sixth as the Pit Spitters exploded for eight runs to not only officially erase the six-run deficit, but storm out to their own six-run lead. 11 Traverse City hitters came to the plate in the inning that turned catastrophic when Pit Spitters' center fielder hit a three-run home run to cap it off.

"Credit to Traverse City," Brewster said. "They got runs a multitude of ways and then hit a big home run to just suck the air out of this place."

The Rivets put a little pressure on in the late innings but were unable to get over the hump and close the deficit. They loaded the bases with one out in the seventh before striking out twice and failing to capitalize. In the both the eighth and ninth, the Rivets left a pair of walks on base without scoring.

The Rivets and Pit Spitters will see each other again tomorrow night at 6:05pm at Rivets Stadium to close out the Rivets' rain-shortened homestand. Fans can purchase tickets for Rivets games all season long at www.rockfordrivets.com.



Northwoods League Stories from June 19, 2025


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