Frightening Fifth Inning Drops Clippers in Home Opener

Jonathan Timm

Muskegon, MI- The 2025 home opener did not go as planned for the Muskegon Clippers (0-4) as the Michigan Monarchs (4-0) put up a crooked number in the fifth frame en route to their 10-2 spoiler road win at Historic Marsh Field. 

The Clippers put themselves in an early hole after allowing the lead off Monarch batter Wyatt Epple to reach on an error in the top of the first. Christian Holmes drove in two teammates to give the Monarchs a couple runs worth of a head start.  

Colton Blankstrom made his fifth career start at Marsh Field. He went four innings with a lone earned run allowed, one walk and four strikeouts while going two times through the order. 

The Clipper bats were tamed by winning pitcher Matthew Hubbard, who no-hit the Clippers through his 5 innings of work while only walking his first batter faced in the order atop in the first.

The top of the fifth inning was an eight run surrender for the Clippers, their second this season. A two-run home run from Kenny McKinny made it 4-0. A passed ball and a ground out allowed two more runs to score during the at-bat of Ben Brittingham. Four more Monarch runs made it a decade of a deficit. 

The Clips were able to bring two across the board after a pinch hit, two-RBI single from Ben Meyers in the 6th to bring life back into the Marsh Field. 

Max Salas would keep the Monarchs from scoring anymore, as his Clipper debut went three scoreless innings, one walks allowed, three hits and as many punchouts. 

Clippers will look to even up the series on the road Wednesday in Hillsdale. Fans can listen for free on the Facebook Livestream edition of the Clippers Broadcast Network.