Spitters Walk-It-Off to Finish the Season as Best in the 'Woods
Northwoods Traverse City Pit Spitters

Spitters Walk-It-Off to Finish the Season as Best in the 'Woods

Published on August 9, 2025 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Traverse City Pit Spitters News Release


Traverse City, MI - The Traverse City Pit Spitters come back down six runs to sweep the Royal Oak Leprechauns in extra-inning walk-off fashion by a score of 8-7 in front of 3,241 fans at Turtle Creek Stadium Saturday night.

The Pit Spitters have been known for their comebacks all season long, with 24 of them entering tonight's game, however, none of the comebacks have been from a six-run deficit. What began with an inside the park three-run home run from Carter Hain, ended in a sacrifice flyout to win the final game of the 2025 regular season.

After a 30-minute weather delay to start the game, Traverse City came out and struck first as Jake McNamara drove in a run to make it 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning. In the top of the third inning Royal Oak's offense awakened as their first run scored via a wild pitch to tie the game before Ryan Tyranski hit a sacrifice flyout to give the Leprechauns a 2-1 lead. The offense wouldn't stop there as an inning later Rhett Roeser hit an RBI single into left field extending their lead to 3-1. Later, Danny Cook drove in a run on a groundout to push their lead to 4-1. Their signature moment came in the top of the sixth as three runs scored. The first came on an RBI double to left field before Noah Bright scored on a wild pitch to further extend their lead to 6-1. To cap it off, Tyranski drove in a run on a fielder's choice to give them an outstanding 7-1 lead. The comeback for the Pit Spitters began in the bottom of the six as Cade Collins scored on a ball four to cut the Leprechauns lead to 7-2. Traverse City's offense came alive in the bottom of the seventh as McNamara drove in their first run on a base hit to right field. Hain then hit a ground ball back up the middle where the ball went under the glove of center fielder Preston Leon and it resulted in an inside the park home run, clearing the bases, to pull the Spitters within 7-6. An inning later and Brandon Sanchez drove in the tying run to make it 7-7. Then finally, in the bottom of the 10th inning with the winning run at third, Cade Collins hit a sacrifice flyout to win the game for the Spitters at 7-6. The walk off was their fifth of the season along with their 25th come from behind win.

Traverse City finishes with a 49-22 and 28-9 in the second half, as well as finishing the season with the best record in the Northwoods League and securing home field advantage throughout playoffs. Royal Oak finishes 35-37 overall and 20-17 in the second half. Charlie Horne (3-0) finishes the season undefeated with his third win after throwing two innings of scoreless baseball while walking two. Dylan Kints (0-1) was handed his first loss of the year after throwing 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball, one hit, two walks, and two strikeouts.

UP NEXT

With the 2025 regular season complete, the Pit Spitters will begin the Sub-Division playoffs tomorrow night in Kalamazoo. This is the fifth time the Pit Spitters and Growlers have faced in the first round of the playoffs with the Growlers beating Traverse just once. First pitch is 5:05 p.m. at Homer Stryker Field.

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Northwoods League Stories from August 9, 2025


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