TRAVERSE CITY - The Traverse City Pit Spitters’ offense took eight innings to wake up, but they did so just in time, plating four runs in the bottom of the eighth to help the team snap their 3-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over Kenosha on Friday night.
The Pit Spitters managed just two hits through the first seven innings of the game Kingfish starter Reed Gannon and relievers Max Martin and Mason Morris.
After recording a scoreless seventh inning, Morris returned to the mound for the start of the eighth, and Traverse City quickly loaded the bases, scoring their first run on a bases loaded walk by Camden Traficante. The very next batter, Cole Prout, delivered and RBI single to right field to score Colin Summerhill and tie the game at 2-2. Two batters later, with Kenosha’s infield in, Devin Hukill grounded the ball to shortstop, the throw home bounced away from catcher Lance Trippel, allowing two runs to score and give the Pit Spitters a 4-2 lead.
Mitch White came on in the ninth inning, allowing one run, but stranding the tying run at second base to earn the save. Logan Mccleery earned the victory for Traverse City, tossing three solid innings in relief of starter Aren Gustafson.
The Pit Spitters now travel to take on division-leading Kalamazoo for a two-game weekend set, before returning to Traverse City to host the Great Lakes Division Home Run Derby and All-Star Game on Monday and Tuesday.
