TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Pit Spitters hoped for a better outcome on Thursday since returning from all-star break.
The Pit Spitters were held hitless until the seventh inning of the 131 Rivalry Series against the Kalamazoo Growlers. The Growlers routed the Spitters at the end in a 9-3 win at Turtle Creek Stadium, putting Traverse City to 13-8 in the second half of the Northwoods League season and 30-27 overall.
Despite the loss, the Pit Spitters are still in the hunt for the playoffs but dropped to third overall standing, tying Royal Oak Leprechauns (30-27) and a game behind the Growlers (30-26) for second place in the Great Lakes East Division.
A first-place finish in the second half — which the Pit Spitters are 1.5 games out to the Rockford Rivets — or a second-place finish to the first-half champions would make it 6 for 6 when it comes to postseason appearances in the franchise’s young history.
The Growlers tacked three on the board in the top of the first inning to go ahead 3-0 when Brodey Acres came home after Jake Brown (4-1, 4.20 ERA) pitched himself into bases loaded. Xavier Delgado added to the score after sending a deep two-run RBI single to center field.
The Pit Spitters responded in the bottom second inning with a sacrifice groundout from Carter Hain to make it 4-1 after Kalamazoo scored a run in the top of the inning.
Kalamazoo tacked on three more runs in the fifth to take a nice 7-1 lead.
Growlers’ pitcher Andrew Jergins (2-1, 4.05 ERA), August Richie (1-0, 0.90 ERA), and Nolan Milliman (0-1, 2.92 ERA) combined for one hit in the game, with Jergins going five innings with zero hits and six walks.
Richie allowed the sole one hit with zero walks. Millman pitched the final two innings, allowing one walk and striking out three.
The Spitters leaned on their bullpen in their return from the all-star break.
Seth Gurr (2-4, 5.74 ERA) relieved Brown in the third inning, allowing three runs on three hits while walking three in just one inning pitched.
Jake Ickes went two innings, allowing zero runs on three hits while striking out one.
Four more pitchers followed suit, combining for two runs on three hits while striking out three and walking five.
The Pit Spitters had a chance to add runs to the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning after Jergins walked two straight while still maintaining his no-hitter. The Pit Spitters only scored a run on no hits after a sac fly from Aaron Piasecki to cut the deficient to 7-2.
Without recording a hit, the Spitters tacked another run in the bottom of the sixth with an unearned run from Brett Rozman to cut the Growlers’ lead to 7-3, but that didn’t last long.
The Growlers scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to extend the lead to 9-3.
The Pit Spitters recorded their first hit in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single from Jt Sokolove, but the inning quickly ended on a flyout from Ethan Guerra.
The Pit Spitters return to Turtle Creek Stadium on Friday to close out the 131 Rivalry Series with Kalamazoo before welcoming the Battle Creek Battle Jacks on Saturday.
All-star pitcher Jayden Dentler (5-1, 0.86 ERA) is expected to start on Friday against Ryan Kraft (3-2, 1.72 ERA). The first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.