Royal Oak's Eighth-Inning Rally Stuns Pit Spitters in Traverse City
Northwoods Traverse City Pit Spitters

Royal Oak's Eighth-Inning Rally Stuns Pit Spitters in Traverse City

Published on June 8, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release


Traverse City, MI - The Traverse City Pit Spitters led the entire night until the eighth inning, when a four-run rally from the Royal Oak Leprechauns flipped the game and handed Traverse City a 6-4 loss on a muggy Monday night at Turtle Creek Stadium.

The win gives Royal Oak a 2-1 lead in the four-game set, with the Leprechauns looking to clinch the series Tuesday night and the Pit Spitters aiming for a split.

Traverse City scored three unearned runs against Royal Oak starter Drew Tolfree, who worked six strong innings and struck out four.

Ethan Guerra singled, Aaron Grant delivered a run-scoring hit, and Cole Van Ameyde lifted a sacrifice fly to help the Pit Spitters build a 3-0 lead through three innings.

Royal Oak scratched across two runs in the fifth, then knocked Traverse City starter Jake Ickes out of the game with traffic on the bases in the sixth. Bryce Suiter entered out of the bullpen and shut down a bases-loaded threat, keeping the Pit Spitters in front, 3-2.

Traverse City added its final run in the seventh, when Grant drove in Sam Kaczmarek with a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 4-2.

Then came the eighth inning that silenced the Pit Spitters faithful.

Suiter loaded the bases with three consecutive hit-by-pitches before a walk, an RBI groundout, and a two-run single from Lucas Mead completed the damage. The rally gave Royal Oak a 6-4 lead, its first advantage of the game.

Nathan Masar took over for Tolfree and handled the final three innings for Royal Oak, allowing the only earned run surrendered by the Leprechauns while picking up his first win of the summer.

Suiter's final line included four earned runs, while Charlie Wolf worked the final 1.2 innings for Traverse City.

Guerra was the only Pit Spitter with a multi-hit night, finishing with two hits. Grant was the lone Traverse City hitter to drive in multiple runs, collecting two RBI.

The Pit Spitters brought the tying run to the plate twice late, but could not convert, sealing Royal Oak's 6-4 victory.

Traverse City (7-8) and Royal Oak (9-6) will conclude the four-game set Tuesday night at Turtle Creek Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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