By Eli Halverson | July 18, 2025

After rain canceled game three of their series against the Flag City Sluggers, the Joes returned to action Friday night at Foundation Field for the opener of a new series against the Muskegon Clippers.

It was Muskegon who struck first. After a hit batter and single got the first inning started, Joes starter Jordan Taylor settled down to retire the next three hitters—but not before a run crossed the plate, giving the Clippers an early 1-0 lead.

The real damage came in the third. Two singles to open the frame put runners on the corners with no outs, and a sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Then, Jack Bakus drilled a double into the gap, setting up another run on a second sac fly. A wild pitch added one more, pushing the lead to 4-0.

On the other side, the Joes offense struggled to find momentum. They were held to just one hit through four innings, but finally broke through in the fifth. After a couple of runners reached base, Jaxson Christ delivered a sacrifice fly to plate a run. That would be all for the inning, and the Joes still trailed 4-1.

The score held thanks in large part to an outstanding performance from reliever Brendan Mullin. Entering early in the game, Mullin kept the Joes within striking distance, tossing 5.2 innings of five-hit baseball, allowing just one unearned run and striking out three.

That lone run came in the ninth via a sacrifice fly, giving the Clippers a 5-1 cushion heading into the bottom half.

Still, Hamilton didn’t go quietly. Diego DeCello led off the ninth with a single, and Brett Denby reached on an error. After a sacrifice bunt and a groundout that scored one, the Joes trailed 5-2 with two outs. Then came a flurry of free passes. Two hit batters, a wild pitch, and a walk suddenly made it a 5-4 game with the bases loaded.

But with the tying run 90 feet away, the Clippers made the defensive play of the night. A soft grounder off the bat of Christopher Roa was met with a quick scoop and perfect throw to first, ending the Joes’ comeback bid just short.

Despite the loss, Roa stood out. He ripped a triple in the fourth—one of the Joes’ four hits—and flashed leather with two highlight-reel plays at second base.

The Joes return to Foundation Field Saturday for a doubleheader. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:05 PM.