GAME RECAP SAMPLES
Some post-game recaps I wrote during my time with the Battle Jacks.
Some post-game recaps I wrote during my time with the Battle Jacks.
By Sebastian Alsing | July 13th, 2026
KALAMAZOO, MI — The Battle Creek Battle Jacks took on the Kalamazoo Growlers at Homer Stryker Field in their second consecutive meeting, falling in heartbreaking fashion on a walk-off home run in the 9th.
After a scoreless first two innings, it would be the Battle Jacks to strike first in the matchup. Brady LaViolette’s double in the 3rd represented the first hit of the day for either team, and Jacob Schott got on base directly after him, drawing a walk. With two runners and two outs, AJ Lucas would drive a pitch over the wall for his second consecutive day with a home run, knocking in 3 runs and a Battle Creek lead.
BC would push in a few more runs through innings 4 and 5, when a wild pitch that allowed Gehrig Goldbeck to score would start it off. It would be Goldbeck again involved in a Growlers stumble, when an infield ground ball off his bat got away from Kalamazoo on an error from starting pitcher, Jeremiah Holder. Marcus Dierks and AJ Lucas would each score in the chaos.
Kalamazoo would challenge the Battle Jacks with loaded bases in the bottom of the 5th inning – but a Marcus Dierks stumbling grab to save the day on a fly ball would end the inning leaving the Growlers scoreless.
When the Battle Jacks seemingly had the Growlers in a corner, the home team would fight from behind with three consecutive multi-run innings, starting in the 6th. Josh Campbell and Logan Tribble would bat in runs, and a Trevor Johnson two-run bomb in the 7th would decrease the deficit to 2 for Kalamazoo. Nicholas Frontino would then homer in the 8th to knock in 2 runs, tying the game at 6.
After three scoreless innings for BC, Brendan Thompson shot his sixth home run of the season over the wall to take a lead in the top of the final frame. When Battle Creek thought they had Kalamazoo backed up again, Josh Campbell drilled a home run over the wall with a runner on base to walk-off the game, and set the series at 1 game a piece.
The Growlers and the Jacks will meet again on Tuesday for a third consecutive game, this time back in Battle Creek. It’s a 7:05 P.M. ET first pitch tomorrow at MCCU Field.
By Sebastian Alsing | June 27th, 2026
Kenosha, WI — The Battle Jacks closed out their two-game set in Kenosha Saturday night, in a decisive loss to the Kingfish that was highlighted by an eight-run seventh inning.
The Battle Jacks got off to a hot start in the first inning, when AJ Lucas secured a double to drive in two runs and take an early lead. After a scoreless bottom of the first for Kenosha, the Jacks were right back on it in the second inning – Owen Larrigan got on base, and Payton Bookwalter doubled him home. Battle Creek led 3-0 after two.
A suspenseful third inning ensued when the Kingfish got bases loaded with two outs. Conner Williar was able to escape though, striking out third-baseman Dawson Downs to close out the inning.
The Battle Jacks tacked on another run in the fourth, with Owen Larrigan again scoring off of the third hit of the day for Payton Bookwalter. It was 4-0 entering the fifth.
Kenosha was able to cut their deficit when Brendan Fritch drove in a run with a single and Noah Brandt was walked to drive in another. Kenosha would drive in another on a Cole Ide fielder’s choice, followed by a fielding error from Brendan Thompson that tied the game at 4 runs a piece.
Thomas Cooper would push a run through in the sixth to reclaim a 5-4 lead for Battle Creek – but the seventh inning proved to be eventful for the Kingfish when their hitters faced Jared Rodriguez on the mound. Two home runs off the bats of Dawson Downs and Noah Brandt took a 7-5 Kenosha lead, then RBIs from J.R. Nelson, Owen Nowak, Brian Gould, and eventually Dawson Downs again would extend it to a powerful 11-5 advantage. A Brendan Fritch single scored Brian Gould, and the Kingfish exited the inning up 12-5.
The Battle Jacks entered the final frame down seven runs. They wouldn’t push any more through, and the Kingfish would take the win.
The Jacks ended the day with 11 hits and an error in the loss. The winning pitcher was Henry Johnson, who pitched 3 scoreless innings for the Kingfish and only surrendered a single hit.
Battle Creek will be back in Royal Oak Sunday, at 4:05 P.M. ET to take on the Leprechauns.