TRAVERSE CITY — Riley Frost brought the luck of the Irish with him to Traverse City.
The former Pit Spitters infielder came up with a pinch-hit two-run triple to lift the Royal Oak Leprechauns to a 3-2 victory in Monday’s Northwoods League baseball game at Turtle Creek Stadium in Traverse City.
Monday’s game was Irish Heritage Night, fittingly against the Leprechauns, a team that boasts “Welcome to Luck City” in its Twitter bio. Both teams were 13-13 entering Monday’s contest — not exactly the luckiest of numbers.
The loss in front of an announced 1,301 attendance sinks Traverse City (13-14) a game under .500.
Traverse City took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out rally started by a Brett Denby double that was followed by an Aaron Piasecki RBI single and Ethan Guerra RBI single.
The Leprechauns took the lead back in the eighth with a Saborn Campbell two-out double, Nate Ball walk and Frost’s two-run triple to right field.
The teams played six games prior with the exact same pitching matchup in Royal Oak, a game the Leprechauns won 5-4.
Dylan Krause struck out six, walked three and gave up three hits in seven innings this time around. David Lally — who announced his transfer from Notre Dame to Michigan last week on social media — lasted six innings, fanning five, walking four and allowing only two hits.
Frost isn’t the only former Pit Spitter on the Leprechauns. Former Traverse City third baseman Christian Faust is Royal Oak’s first-base coach.
Members of the Northern Lights Irish Dance and Ballet Academy in Cadillac performed Irish dances several times during the evening.
The Spitters could be in the market for more arms soon.
Illinois shut down starter Ryan Daly (1-0, 1.00) after three Northwoods League starts. Aaron Forrest (0-3, 4.15) signed a professional contract with the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League.
Carson Fischer (2-1, 2.52) will likely be shut down in July, and Krause (3-1, 1.69) — who is in the transfer portal — could leave TC when he commits.
The Pit Spitters host Madison (17-8) for two games starting Tuesday as Fischer gets the start with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.