By Jacob Cotsonika
A four-run seventh inning from the Battle Creek Battle Jacks made things get away from Royal Oak during the team’s 5-2 loss on Monday night.
The game started out as a complete pitchers’ duel, as Royal Oak’s Ryan Kruse (Valparaiso) and Battle Creek’s Dutch Deprospero each delivered five scoreless innings to begin the ballgame.
The Leprechauns got on the board first in the top of the sixth after an RBI double from Jack Dauer (Yale). Battle Creek also finally got to Kruse in the sixth and tied the game back up in that frame.
Royal Oak then took a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh after Dylan Larkins (Georgetown) worked a walk while the bases were loaded. The Leprechauns had a good chance to add some needed insurance, since there was still just one out after Larkins walked, but Deprospero was able to limit the damage during his final inning of work.
After getting the final out of the bottom of the sixth, Leprechaun reliever Gavin Moczydlowsky (Michigan State) got the ball again for the bottom of the seventh. Six of the first seven batters of the frame reached safely. Add in a couple miscues by the Royal Oak defense, and the team’s slim 2-1 lead became a 5-2 deficit.
Battle Creek then brought in one of its top leverage relievers in Jacob Whiteman, who picked up a two-inning save and faced the minimum of six batters for his outing.
Mikey Eickhoff (Wittenberg) also got the final four outs of the game for the Leprechauns without giving up any runs.
This result now marks three consecutive losses for Royal Oak, as the team now falls to 7-7 on the season. Despite being in fifth place out of the six teams in the Great Lakes East, the Leprechauns are still just one game out of the two-way tie for first between the 8-6 Rockford Rivets and Kalamazoo Growlers. Only 1.5 games separate first from last in the sub-division, as well.
Next, Royal Oak will look to earn a split in this two-game set with Battle Creek on Tuesday. First pitch for that game is set for 6:35 p.m. and can be streamed for free on NWL+. The team will then come home for two games against the Madison Mallards on Wednesday and Thursday.
