Clippers Come Alive In Seventh to Storm Sluggers

Jonathan Timm

Findlay, OH: A slow offense clicked into gear for the Muskegon Clippers (12-16) in the seventh inning, as they scored fifteen runs in the final three innings to win 17-8 over the Flag City Sluggers (13-13) at Fifth Third Field on Tuesday, July 8.

This was the Clippers first ever meeting against the Sluggers in Findlay. 

Creativity was needed in the first six innings for the Clips to scratch the surface. Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning, Casey Barnes hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. After the Sluggers tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, Nolan Zajac put the ball in play to bring in the Clippers second run on a fielder’s choice.

Going into the top of the seventh inning down 6-2, the Clippers refused to trade outs for runs any longer. With two on and nobody out, Ashton Wong hit a three-run homerun to bring the Clips within one run. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Aidan Robinson tied the game off an RBI-single. The go-ahead run came from a Taylor Head RBI-walk. The finishing touch of the seventh inning came from Jack Bakus’ two-RBI single to make the game 9-6 Clippers. 

This made it all the easier for relief pitcher Winston Delp, who replaced the starter Chase Schwierking midway through the fourth. Delp got the win decision, and went 3.2 innings while striking out one and allowing three earned runs. 

The Clips could not slow down, as the Sluggers kept knocking on the door for the remainder of the game. It was 9-7 Clippers going into the eighth, and the flood gates were still wide open. Barnes put the ball in play to allow two runs scored on an error from the Slugger pitcher Talmadge Davis to make it 11-7. Later in the inning, Bakus would prevail for his fourth hit, an RBI-single putting the Clippers at a dozen.

By this point, Slugger fans had made their way to the exits but the Clips were not done. 

Leading 12-8 going into the top of the ninth, the Clippers continued to clobber. Barnes drove in his third run of the game on an RBI-single to make it 13-8. Robinson drove in a run off an RBI-fielder’s choice to bring it to a 14-8 lead. Another pitcher error on a chopper from Ben Meyers scored two more Clippers. Meyers would steal around and force a wild throw down the line, which allowed him to score the seventeenth run. 

Bakus went 4-6 with three RBIs. Wong went 3-3 with three walks and scored four times with his three RBIs. Barnes went 2-4 with a double and three RBIs. Robinson had two RBIs. Cole LeClair scored three runs and went 1-4. 

The Clips will go for the series win on Wednesday, July 9th in Findlay.