TRAVERSE CITY — Tuesday marked a couple of lasts for the Traverse City Pit Spitters as the Northwoods League playoff hopefuls look to avoid a franchise first.
The Pit Spitters took on the Kalamazoo Growlers in their final regular-season home game at Turtle Creek Stadium on Tuesday. It also just so happened to be Josh Rebandt’s final regular-season home game as field manager for the Pit Spitters, who are hoping to make it a perfect six for six in postseason appearances since the franchise’s debut in 2019.
Although it looked as if the Pit Spitters would pull off a comeback and possibly end Rebandt’s run at the Creek with a walk-off victory in front of the largest crowd in franchise history with 4,894 fans, the Growlers hung on to win 3-2 in a late-inning thriller.
The loss drops Traverse City back into second place in the second-half standings of the Great Lakes East Division at 20-13, a half-game behind Kalamazoo (20-12). The Pit Spitters (37-31) also fall a game and a half behind the Growlers (38-29) in the race for second place in the overall standings.
Either a second-half division title or a second-place finish in the overall standings would secure a playoff spot, which made the two games between Traverse City and Kalamazoo so crucial with each team earning a win and taking a loss as they fight for that spot.
The Growlers took a 2-0 lead before the Pit Spitters grabbed a bat. Gabe Springer launched a two-out, two-run home run just over the right-field fence after Xavier Delgado singled off Traverse City starter Reilly Shafer.
Kalamazoo pulled off a nifty doubleplay to end a mild Pit Spitter threat in the bottom of the third inning. After Aaron Piasecki was hit by a pitch and Camden Traficante singled to put two on with one out, Mark Kattula hit a weak grounder to shortstop, which Delgado fielded, glove-flipped to Brody Acres for the first out at second. Acres fired to first to get Kattula, much to the chagrin of the Pit Spitters faithful.
The Pit Spitters repaid the favor with a twin-killing of their own to end the top of the fourth. After a Springer single, Korbin Griffin smacked a hotshot grounder back to Shafer, who turned and fired to second. Piasecki made a nice pick on the short throw from Shafer and then turned the doubleplay.
But it would be another doubleplay turned by the Growlers that killed a Pit Spitters rally in the bottom of the fifth to keep the score at 2-0. Kalamazoo padded its lead in the top of the sixth with a run on a Griffin two-out single for the 3-0 advantage.
Carter Hain breathed a bit of life into the offense with a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh, but Kalamazoo lefty reliever Aaron Robertson struck out Michael Tchavdarov on three straight pitches.
Still down 3-0 in the bottom of the eighth, the Pit Spitters got some magic working. JT Sokolove led off with a swinging-bunt single and then advanced to third on a Kalamazoo throwing error that also put Piasecki in scoring position at second.
Both runners stayed put on an excuse-me-swing groundout by Traficante to third, but Sokolove scored on an RBI groundout from Kattula to make it 3-1.
Piasecki later came home thanks to the ball bouncing the Pit Spitters’ way after Brady Gavula hit one back to the mound.
Robertson got a glove on Gavula’s grounder and knocked it back toward the catcher, but Trey Wells couldn’t corral it to get Gavula at first, allowing Piasecki to score and make it a one-run game at 3-2.
Brynden Cleveland kept the inning alive with a line-drive single to right, putting the tying run in scoring position, but Trent Reed popped out to end the inning.
Dominic Mauro wiggled out of some trouble in the top of the ninth to keep to the momentum in the Traverse City dugout heading to the bottom of the frame. After back-to-back two-out hits, a pitch-clock violation on Kalamazoo batter Lawson Knight resulted in a strikeout to end the inning.
Hain kept building the momentum with a leadoff double down the third-base line to once again put the tying run in scoring position and bring the winning run to the plate in the form of Brandon Chang.
Hain was nearly picked off at second on a throw from Wells after Chang pulled back on a bunt attempt, but he managed to just get back safely and then move to third when Chang successfully laid down the sac bunt.
A short popout to left field by Sokolove kept Hain at third with two outs, forcing Piasecki to get a hit or a walk to extend the inning. But he grounded out to third to end the game.
Rebandt, who is sitting on 299 wins as a field manager in the NWL, was honored on the field after the game and addressed the fans, thanking them for their support over the last six seasons.
“The energy you bring to this community and our guys in the dugout is amazing,” Rebandt said to the record crowd.
The departing field manager could still have one more go at Turtle Creek if the Pit Spitters can earn a playoff berth. They’d likely host the Rockford Rivets on Sunday if they can chase down and leapfrog the Growlers in their final four games.
“You just control what you can control,” Rebandt said. “That’s the biggest thing with baseball and anything in life. You control what you can, and you don’t worry about the distractions. … You just have to go after what’s at hand; and if you can do that, you’ll give yourself a chance in baseball and in life.”
Rebandt, who has been the Pit Spitters’ only field manager in the team’s successful half-dozen-year run, is leaving to join the Western Michigan University Broncos as an assistant coach at the conclusion of the Northwoods League season. He was named Field Manager of the Year in 2019 when the rookie franchise won the Northwoods League championship. The Pit Spitters won their second league championship in 2021, once again under Rebandt’s guidance.
“For the past six years, you’ve been more than just a head coach. You’ve been a cornerstone of our team, of our community,” Pit Spitters General Manager Jacqueline Holm said to Rebandt during the postgame ceremony. “Your leadership, dedication and passion have left an indelible mark on everyone who’s had the privilege of working with you.”
Holm lauded Rebandt for his commitment to developing the Pit Spitters players both on and off the field, calling it a “standard of excellence” that will stay with the organization long after he’s gone.
“You’ve instilled values of teamwork, resilience and sportsmanship in every player who’s worn the Pit Spitters uniform,” Holm said. “You’ve made a lasting impact on the lives of so many.”
The Pit Spitters also played a video for Rebandt with several current and former players and coaches thanking Rebandt for his contributions to the Pit Spitters and the positive effect he’s had on their lives.
“Boy, you sure do know how to make a grown man cry, I’ll tell you that,” Rebandt said after the video and a rousing round of applause from the many fans who remained after the game. “This has been such an incredible journey, and the impact this has had on my life is second to none.”
Rebandt is still hopeful for at least one more game back home, but the Pit Spitters will have work ahead of them to make that a reality.
With their postseason fate in the balance, the Pit Spitters finish off their regular-season slate on the road. They head to the Central timezone and Rockford, Illinois, for a two-game set against the Rivets on Wednesday and Thursday before returning to the Mitten and Battle Creek for two games with the Battle Jacks on Friday and Saturday.