KALAMAZOO — Each team deployed a player with almost the exact same name, but the Kalamazoo Growlers got the win out of it.
Traverse City Pit Spitters pitcher Nathan Webb faced Kalamazoo’s Nate Webb twice in Monday’s Northwoods League baseball season opener in front of 2,789 fans at Honor Credit Union Stadium in Kalamazoo. The Growlers won 6-1 to start the season for each franchise.
The Growlers’ Webb walked in the second inning and grounded out in the fifth against TC’s Webb, working in relief.
With the Spitters low on position players to start the season, starting pitcher Jake Brown also was the designated hitter, going 1-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in four plate appearances.
Brown pitched the first two innings, allowing one run and striking out two. Nathan Webb allowed two runs in three frames, striking out two, with Gabe Helder giving up three runs in 1.2 innings and Miles Morris tossing 1.1 hitless and scoreless frames to close out the game.
Traverse City had six hits on the night, one each by Sam Kaczmarek, Caleb Mallory, Cole Van Ameyde, Peyton Ryback, Brown and Alfredo Velazquez.
Joshua Algarin, Nate Webb and Chance Huston each had two hits for Kalamazoo.
The two teams play again Tuesday before Traverse City starts the home slate Wednesday against Rockford.