Rivets Can't Erase Eight-Run Deficit, Fall to Battle Jacks
Northwoods Rockford Rivets

Rivets Can't Erase Eight-Run Deficit, Fall to Battle Jacks

Published on August 7, 2025 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rockford Rivets News Release


ROCKFORD, Ill. - A ninth inning grand slam wasn't quite enough for the Rivets to erase an eight-run deficit.

After the Rivets (13-22) put together an impressive shutout victory to open the series against the Battle Jacks (12-23) on Wednesday, their comeback effort fell short in Thursday's rematch, 8-6. After being completely shut down on offense through seven innings, the Rivets scored six runs in the final two innings but it wasn't enough to climb all the way back.

"It may have just been one of those lethargic days," Rivets manager Griffin Smith said. "I really hate those days because I think that's something that you can control as a group."

Rivets starter Brennan Baker (North Florida) had to throw a lot of pitches early, but it wasn't for a lack of effectiveness. The normally pitch-to-contact righty set a season-high in strikeouts in the second inning with three, despite having to work for them in long counts.

He picked up a fourth in the third on what should've finished off an efficient 1-2-3 inning, but a dropped third strike caused things to unravel a bit and forced Baker to throw 33 pitches in the inning that he eventually escaped with no damage by stranding the bases loaded.

Unfortunately for Baker, though, the miscue ended up shortening his start significantly, as he was lifted in the fourth after surrendering a walk and hit by pitch to lead off the inning. And after Liam Howard (Webber International) entered, the Battle Jacks took advantage of more wildness to strike for the first time all series.

"He had quite a few walks there and whenever you have a lot of walks, you need a couple breaks to go your way," Smith said. "It just didn't go his way and that could have been the nail in the coffin for him."

Another walk loaded the bases and another plated the game's first run with the bases loaded - the third of the inning for the Rivets pitching staff. An RBI single followed and for a moment, it appeared as if the Rivets may get out of the inning with limited damage.

But Battle Creek delivered five two-out runs on a pair of singles and a two-run double to make it an enormous seven-run fourth inning for the visitors. Nearly all of the Battle Jacks' damage came in just the one inning, but it dug the Rivets quite the hole.

Meanwhile, the Rivets couldn't get much going offensively against Battle Jacks starter Hudson Normand. They had singles by Tate Shimao (Hawaii) and Kenny Hirschfeld (Lackawanna) in each of the first two innings but failed to move them beyond that. In the fifth, the Rivets put the first two hitters on but were retired three times in a row to end the threat.

The Battle Jacks added onto their lead in the sixth off new Rivets pitcher Will Paxton (St. Peter's), scoring their eighth run on two doubles. A Shimao leadoff double in the home half tried to spark the Rivets' offense, but they ended up stranding him at third.

The Rivets finally got on the board in the eighth thanks to an RBI double by Gavin Taylor (UNLV), finally providing some life into the ballpark on an otherwise frustrating night. Julian Aguliera (Ecclesia) followed with an RBI single to score two in the inning, finally building a little offensive momentum.

Paxton strung together three scoreless innings after Battle Creek's run in the sixth to give the lineup a chance to claw back. After loading the bases with two outs in the ninth, Gavin Taylor crushed a grand slam off the left center field scoreboard to give the Rivets life.

"Gavin's a really talented player and whenever he believes in himself, he's going to do amazing things," Smith said. "You just have to tell everybody as a coach 'hey man, I believe in you.'"

But it was ultimately short lived, as the game ended on the next hitter and the Battle Jacks closed out the victory.

Despite the loss, the Rivets still claimed the overall season series over the Battle Jacks 7-5, a series that had plenty of excitement and down-to-the-wire finishes in 2025. Despite having been eliminated from playoff contention, the Rivets hope to close the season strong with just two days remaining in the Northwoods League's regular season, a message Smith has hammered home to his team.

"This is a tough game we play. Every single day you should play like your last," Smith said. "It's coming out of a place of love."

The Rivets will play their final home game of the 2025 season on Friday night against the Kenosha Kingfish. First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m. with a postgame fireworks show to celebrate another fantastic season of Rivets baseball.

Fans can purchase tickets to the Rivets' home finale at www.rockfordrivets.com.



Northwoods League Stories from August 7, 2025


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