Spitters Ninth Inning Rally Keeps Postseason Hopes Alive

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Northwoods Traverse City Pit Spitters

Spitters Ninth Inning Rally Keeps Postseason Hopes Alive

June 25, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release


Traverse City, MI - The Traverse City Pit Spitters walk-off the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders in the bottom of the ninth inning, 9-8.

In his first outing on the season for the Pit Spitters, starting pitcher Sam Schmitt didn't have things go the way he hoped it would. However, the Pit Spitters were able to break into the scoring column first on a sacrifice groundout hit by Brett Rozman that scored Aaron Piasecki. The Dock Spiders first attacked Schmitt in the top of the second inning. A couple of one out singles put the Dock Spiders on the offense. Miles Vandenheuvel hit a sacrifice fly scoring a run to tie the game at 1-1.

In the top of the third inning, nothing went Schmitt's way. The Pit Spitters found themselves in a bases loaded jam after an error committed by Grady Mee and a back-to-back walks. Rex Watson drove in the first run of the rally with a single to give the Dock Spiders a 2-1 lead. Then, Jarren Sanderson unloaded the bases with a grand slam to give the Dock Spiders a 6-1 lead. It didn't take long for the Pit Spitters to respond as a single and a double to open the bottom of the third inning putting two runners in scoring position. Mee made up for his error with a double driving in a pair of runs to make it 6-3. After a couple of walks that loaded the bases, Cade Collins grounded into a double play that allowed Mee to score to cut the Dock Spiders lead down to 6-4.

Brooks Sartain restarted the offense in the bottom of the fourth inning with a leadoff walk. He then worked his way around the bases and scored on a single to center field bringing the deficit to one run, 6-5. Later, in the sixth inning, the Pit Spitters loaded the bases with one out. Aaron Piasecki legged out an infield single scoring Adam Broski to tie the game at 6-6.

After a couple of stellar bullpen performances, the Dock Spiders broke the scoreless streak in the top of the ninth. Patrick Graham drew a walk with one out. Watson then came through with a triple to right field, scoring Graham to give the Dock Spiders a 7-6 lead. Then Sanderson came through again with a single that scored Watson to extend their lead to 8-6. Deuce Musial II came in to lock up the win for the Dock Spiders, but he couldn't find the strike zone. Sartain pushed the first run across bring the Pit Spitters within 8-7. With two runners on bases and two outs, Alfredo Velazquez found himself down to his final strike, where he then grounded a ball back up the middle to tie the game at 8-8. On the first pitch, Piasecki ripped a single into right field scoring Sanchez to win the game for the Pit Spitters.

The Pit Spitters win brings their record to 16-13 on the year and are now in a two-way tie with Kalamazoo for second place and a game behind Battle Creek for first place. The Pit Spitters keep their postseason hopes alive when they take on the Dock Spiders tomorrow night. First pitch is 7:05 p.m.



Northwoods League Stories from June 25, 2025


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