Rivets' Offense Held Quiet vs Kingfish to Finish off Road Trip

Sports stats



Northwoods Rockford Rivets

Rivets' Offense Held Quiet vs Kingfish to Finish off Road Trip

June 1, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Rockford Rivets News Release


Kenosha, Wis. - The Rivets' bats were held quiet in the final leg of their five-game road trip.

Mustering just two runs and six hits on the afternoon, the Rivets (4-3) were handled by the Kenosha Kingfish (4-3) in the first game of a two-game home-and-home series on Sunday, 8-2.

The Rivets' lineup couldn't figure out Kenosha starting pitcher Maximus McClellan as the righty had his way, striking out seven across his five innings of shutout work. The Rivets failed to put much of a scoring threat together until the final two innings in what quickly turned into a struggle at the plate for most of the day.

AJ Malzone (Wabash Valley) and Ethan Delgado (Ecclesia) delivered the Rivets' first two hits of the afternoon in the fifth but were soon stranded. Malzone notched another hit in the seventh and was the only Rivet to reach base three times, going 2-for-2 with a walk.

The Rivets were able to avoid being shutout for the first time this season in the 8th when Kolby Felix (Colorado Mesa) lined an RBI double over the head of the Kenosha center fielder. Tommy Townsend (Butler) plated another on a groundout in the Rivets' only scoring frame of the day.

On the other side, Kenosha had plenty of traffic on the basepaths. The Kingfish - the current leader in walks drawn in the Northwoods League - drew nine more free passes from the Rivets' pitching staff and began cashing them in with timely hitting in the middle and later innings. Rockford starter Alexander Llinas (Nova Southeastern) was able to hold the Kingfish off the board for the first three despite multiple jams, but the Kingfish offense finally broke through in the fourth on a two-out, two-run single by right fielder Jadan Boyce.

Llinas gave way to Gideon Motes (Michigan) who ran into trouble in the fifth and allowed the Kingfish to break the game open with four runs - two of them earned. Braydon Cooper (Rock Valley) pitched a scoreless sixth but was responsible for two inherited runners that scored on a two-run double in the seventh. Brex Caldwell (Oklahoma State) worked for the second consecutive day and was the only Rivet pitcher not charged with an earned run in his two innings.

Ultimately, the Rivets dug themselves too deep of a hole to climb out of despite some late signs of life at the plate. Their two-run eighth inning can hopefully serve as a positive on an otherwise frustrating afternoon, while they also left two in scoring position in the ninth inning to end the game after a handful of long plate appearances.

With the loss, Rockford finishes off its five-game road trip in three different cities 2-3. The Rivets still sit above .500 at 4-3 overall, however, and are currently in a three-way tie for second place in the Great Lakes East division as the first week of the 2025 Northwoods League season comes to a close.

The Rivets will now return home to Rivets Stadium for a three-game homestand, beginning with game two of the home-and-home series against the Kingfish on Monday at 11:05 a.m. Fans can purchase tickets for Rivets games all season long at www.rockfordrivets.com.



Northwoods League Stories from June 1, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central