​Battle Creek Battle Jacks players helped secure a victory for the Northwoods League’s Great Lakes All-Stars at the All-Star Game, held at the Field of Dreams site in Dyersville, Iowa. On July 8, the Great Lakes squad defeated the Great Plains All-Stars 4-2 as part of the league’s All-Star festivities. In the win for the Battle Jacks, Brendan Thompson went 1-for-1 with an RBI, scored a run, and stole a base. Jake Stedman started at second base, drew a walk, and crossed home once.
The All-Star event highlighted several Battle Jacks players who contributed to the team’s overall success this season. Christian Lopez led the Battle Jacks’ hitters in the first half of the season, appearing in 20 games and posting a .311 batting average. Brendan Thompson followed closely, hitting .302 over 42 games, driving in 24 runs, scoring a team-high 34 runs, and recording a team-best 49 hits. A.J. Lucas led the squad with 27 RBIs, while Stedman contributed 26 RBIs. On the pitching side, Craig Kabat led the team with 25 strikeouts and was 2-1 over 17 innings in the first half. Jackson Phelps worked the most innings on the staff, totaling 30.2 across six starts, and Bryce Ewing appeared in a team-leading 15 relief appearances, totaling 24.2 innings.
During the week, the Battle Jacks enjoyed a rare respite from league play as the Northwoods League All-Star Game took center stage. When the festivities concluded, Battle Creek returned to action with a two-game homestand against Royal Oak at the end of the week, followed by the start of a four-game series with their rival Kalamazoo beginning on Sunday. Entering the second half of the season, the Battle Jacks sat at 2-6 and trailed first-place Traverse City by four games, maintaining a position well within reach of a playoff push.
Looking ahead, Battle Creek will host Kalamazoo for a single home game the week of July 13-19, continuing a busy calendar full of promotions designed to bolster fan engagement and team morale. Notable events include Post Cereal Night on July 24, featuring a Post balloon flyover; Margaritaville Night and a Yacht Rock concert on July 25; and Russell’s fifth birthday celebration plus Family Day on July 26. For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com, and you can follow him on X/Twitter at @billbroderick.
This recap reflects coverage from Battle Creek Enquirer, emphasizing the contributions of Battle Jacks players at the Northwoods League All-Star Game and the team’s ongoing efforts as the season progresses.