PLAYOFF BOUND: Despite Thursday’s loss, Hot Rods secure with postseason spot
Published 11:44 am Friday, June 20, 2025
The first half didn’t end on a high note for the Bowling Green Hot Rods, who fell 3-1 to Hub City on Thursday at Bowling Green Ballpark, but the mood was still upbeat with the immediate goal accomplished — a return trip to the postseason.
Bowling Green (34-30) clinched that spot on Wednesday when Greenville lost to Greensboro, earning the first-half division title. It’s the first step for a Hot Rods team that has made a habit out of postseason appearances — and league championships.
“We talked about it in the first meetings that we had, the first interviews when we got here, winning is a byproduct of development,” BG manager Rafael Valenzuela said. “I think as a staff we’ve done a good job of getting these guys ready to play, getting these guys better in all aspects of the game. It just shows.
“In my opinion if you learn how to win in the minor leagues, when you get to the big leagues you know nothing but winning and it just translates to the big leagues.”
Wednesday’s clincher came without taking the field. Before heavy rains came, Valenzuela sat in the outfield grass watching the Greenville game on the jumbotron in right field. While the rain pushed the watch party inside, the game stayed on the jumbotron with a playoff-bound graphic posted as soon as the final out was recorded.
“I never had to do that ever, even as a player,” Valenzuela said. “It is usually play, win, then you celebrate and you enjoy it. We were just sitting there waiting. We had the game on in the players’ clubhouse and they had it on their iPads. They were getting rowdy. When the ninth inning came, you knew whether it was a strike or a ball or when the out was made. It was a little crazy, but it was a lot of fun for sure.”
With the division clinched, Wednesday’s game was cancelled leaving Thursday’s first half-finale left before the second half begins on Friday.
In Thursday’s game, the Spartanburgers scored two in the fourth to jump in front. Bowling Green got its only run in the bottom of the inning when Mac Horvath swiped home on the back end of a double steal. Hub City quickly got the run back with a homer from Dylan Dreiling in the top of the fifth and BG was unable to answer from there.
The Hot Rods were held to four hits, but stranded nine runners. BG was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Horvath finished with two hits, while Gary Gill Hill took the loss allowing three runs and six hits with six strikeouts in six innings.
“We had our chances,” Valenzuela said. “We couldn’t take advantage of them and that’s what baseball does. If you don’t take advantage of your chances, then you probably are not going to win a lot of games. I thought our hitters did a phenomenal job tonight. Obviously last night was awesome. Two days ago was great. I’m expecting for them to get a good rest tonight and come back tomorrow ready to roll.”
The second half begins on Friday with the Hot Rods continuing the six-game series with Hub City. After the conclusion of this series Bowling Green will play 15 out of the next 18 on the road, The Hot Rods play nine games total at Bowling Green Ballpark in the month of July.
The tough stretch is made easier knowing the season will extend into the postseason. While the postseason bid is secured, Valenzuela said there is still work to be done in the final 66 games of the regular season.
“I think as the season goes on, as we get closer to the postseason, I think it allows us to set up nicely with the pitching and the playing time and all of that,” Valenzuela said. “I think it is going to help us out as the season goes on, but as I told the guys, ‘Enjoy it because a lot of guys go through a whole career and don’t get to experience postseason baseball. Enjoy it, but the work does not stop.’ We won the first half. Who is gonna stop us from winning the second half? I expect for us to keep working and keep getting after it and see what happens.”
One thing is certain, Bowling Green is assured a chance to defend its South Atlantic League title and continue its recent dominance. The Hot Rods have won league titles in three out of the last four years and haven’t lost a postseason series since 2019.
“It is a lot of fun to be able to say we are back in the postseason,” Valenzuela said. “I’m sure the league doesn’t enjoy us being back again, but if they don’t enjoy it then they’ve got to stop us. So far I think we’ve done a good job of playing hard and we will see what happens.”
About Micheal Compton
I am a sports reporter and movie critic for the Bowling Green Daily News.
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