Spitters Swept in Kalamazoo
July 4, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release
Kalamazoo, MI - The Traverse City Pit Spitters drop their second game in a row to the Kalamazoo Growlers Friday evening at Homer Stryker Field, 9-3.
The Spitters bullpen was off to a great start to open the long seven-game road trip throwing eight combined innings of one-run ball during the Royal Oak series. However, things have not been able to translate into the Kalamazoo series as the bullpen has allowed a collective 16-runs over nine-innings of work.
Max Hammond was slated to start for the first time all season for the Spitters, and he opened with throwing a clean bottom of the first inning. After a quick first out, Gabe Springer got the best of Hammond with a first- pitch home run to give the Growlers a 1-0 lead. KJ White added one more later in the inning on a fielder's choice to extend their lead to 2-0. Alfredo Velazquez was off to a great start in the top of the third inning, legging out an infield single. Isaac Sturgess hit an RBI-double into left field to bring the Spitters within 2-1. A leadoff single followed by a double put the Spitters in business early in the top of the fourth inning.
Unfortunately for the Spitters, the only run they'd be able to scratch across was the sacrifice flyout hit by Brandon Sanchez. Later in the inning it was a groundout and Nathanael Coupet who was picked off at third base. Drew Ferguson relieved Hammond of his duties on the mound and his first inning of work was off to a great start getting a quick two outs. He then hit White, which allowed him to swipe a base to insert himself into scoring position. JD Crisp drove him in on a single to right field to give the Growlers a 3-2 lead. Later in the inning, Crisp was able to swipe home to make it a 4-2 game. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Jaylen Merchant was on the mound in relief and his outing quickly got away from him as he walked two batters and hit one to load the bases. With the bases loaded, he allowed two runs to score by hitting a batter, one to score on a walk, and threw two wild pitches to cap off the inning to give the Growlers a 9-2 lead. Spitters were only able to score one run in the top of the ninth inning on a sacrifice groundout hit by Velazquez to give the game it's final score of 9-3.
The Pit Spitters fall to 23-15 and 2-2 in the second half, while the Growlers secure their second straight win moving their second half record to 2-2 and 19-20 overall. Ferguson (3-1) loses his first game of the year while Jeremiah Holder (2-1) wins his second game of the year.
UP NEXT The Pit Spitters continue their seven-game, six-day road trip, as they make their last stop of the trip, in Battle Creek. They're set to play two seven-inning games tomorrow night. First game will be at 5:05 p.m. and the second game will follow at 8:05 p.m. Broadcast coverage can be found on the Northwoods League Plus App with pre-game beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Northwoods League Stories from July 4, 2025
- Rox Drop Game Two Against Badlands, 6-3 - St. Cloud Rox
- Rogers Hits Three Homers in Madison Mallards' Loss - Madison Mallards
- Spitters Swept in Kalamazoo - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- MAD at WAU: Woodchucks Walk-off Mallards on Fourth of July - Wausau Woodchucks
- Express Swept by MoonDogs, Drop Series Finale 11-9 - Eau Claire Express
- MoonDogs Take Win, Series vs. Eau Claire - Mankato MoonDogs
- Growlers Sweep Pit Spitters in Holiday Series - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Loggers Sweep Thunder Bay, Win 6-1 - La Crosse Loggers
- Offensive Fireworks Blast Chinooks to Blowout 4th of July Victory - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Rockers Display Fireworks at the Plate in Win over Dock Spiders - Green Bay Rockers
- Dock Spiders Fall to the Rockers - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Rockers Prepare to Do Battle against Fond du Lac on Independence Day - Green Bay Rockers
- Fireworks Abound as Logs Top Thunder Bay 11-3 - La Crosse Loggers
- Kingfish Commit Costly Errors in 1-Run Loss to Leprechauns - Kenosha Kingfish
- Big Sticks Respond in a Big Way Coming Back to Defeat the Rox 6-4 - Badlands Big Sticks
- Spitters Winning Streak Snapped - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Huskies Drop Game One in Rochester,12-5 - Duluth Huskies
- Rox Win Streak Ends After Falling 6-4, Resume Series in North Dakota on Friday - St. Cloud Rox
- New Faces Flash Potential in 8-4 Loss to Rafters - Lakeshore Chinooks
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