Rivets Walk It off to Sweep Series, Hand Growlers Fifth Straight Loss
July 1, 2024 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Kalamazoo Growlers News Release
Kalamazoo, Mich. - On Sunday, the Rockford Rivets (25-9) swept its two-game series over the Kalamazoo Growlers (16-17) with a 3-2 walk-off win.
After a 25-hit, 30-run, barnburner the night before, the starting pitchers owned Sunday's series finale.
Rockford's Landen Southern and Kalamazoo's Eamon Horwedel dominated opposing hitters.
Horwedel, looking for his Northwoods League record-tying 20th career win, did everything asked of him. Across seven innings, Horwedel had his 15th career quality start striking out five, walking one, and giving up four hits. Horwedel left six Rivets stranded ending off his day without a run allowed.
On the other end, Southern opened up the game by striking out the side in the first and wouldn't slow down from there. Across six innings, Southern struck out a career-high 11 while giving up just two base hits and walking one.
With it deadlocked at zero, the bullpens would fully take over in the eighth. In the top half of the frame, K-Zoo loaded the bases. After a walk, an error on Rockford's TOny Konopiots at third, and a single to left by Brock Leitgeb, the chance to break the scoreless tie set up Gabe Springer.
On the very first pitch, Springer drove a fastball to right which dropped down scoring a pair and giving the Growlers a 2-0 lead.
After a popout to end the frame, Rockford came right back against K-Zoo reliever Andrew Jergins. An RBI single by Kyle Schupman brought the Rivets back within one. Following a hit-by-pitch to put the go-ahead runner on, the Growlers went to Graham Kollen in the pen.
A fielder's choice and strikeout later and the Growlers headed to the ninth up one. After a quick 1-2-3 top of the ninth, the game came crumbling down in the bottom of the inning.
After a leadoff single, Maddox Mihalakis put a hard grounder to first. In a possible chance for a double-play ball, Antonio Perrotta spiked one in the dirt low of Savi Delgado.
With two on and nobody out, Scott Newman put down a bunt to third and reached on an infield single muddied by defensive miscommunication. One batter later, an error up the middle on a ground ball by Lucas Spence scored two, ending the game.
Kalamazoo is back on the road today taking on the Royal Oak Leprechauns our at Memorial Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:36 p.m. ET and can be watched live on ESPN+.
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