Mighty Clippers Storm Second Place in Sudden Death and Combined No-Hitter

Jonathan Timm

Muskegon MI: Fans were on the edge of their seat for the final pitch of both seven inning games at Historic Marsh Field vs. the Copperheads (13-19) on July 12th. A second sudden death victory, and a shut down combined no-hitter ended the special Saturday.

Both squads put up five unanswered runs and had the score evened up going into extra innings. With the score 5-5 in sudden death, the Clippers needed one final out for the win. Davis Weeks struck out Will Heisler to end the game in dramatic fashion while stranding the potential winning run at third base.

Although Weeks got the win, Connor Freeman was awarded player of the game as he pitched five scoreless innings while recording six strikeouts.

Offense from the Clippers came from a two-RBI double from Luke Noack, after Taylor Head scored on a wild pitch earlier in the at bat. The sequence made it 3-0 Clippers after one.

More runs came from RBI-singles in the third, courtesy of Cole LeClair and Aidan Robinson to make it 5-0.

The Copperheads took the sixth and seventh inning by storm, tying the game after recording seven hits during those frames.

After a scoreless extra inning, the Copperheads won the coin toss and elected to hit. Weeks would take it from there on the mound, and mowed through the C-Heads in order with two strikeouts.

The first win put the Clippers at a 16-16 record, their first time at .500 this year.

In Game 2, after starting pitcher Max Salas issued six scoreless, hitless innings, Winston Delp was called on to close the door, and recorded three quick outs to secure the first no-hitter in Muskegon Clipper history. 

Salas threw 74 pitches and recorded five strikeouts; his two walks were the lone Copperhead baserunners. Delp had twelve pitches and struck out the final batter to start the party. 

Batting was mild for the Clippers but just enough. Casey Barnes was able to score after stealing second base, courtesy of Weeks’ RBI-single in the second.

A Ben Meyers double would allow Jack Bakus would match with an-RBI single in the third to make it 2-0 Clips. The final run was an Ashten Wong RBI-sac fly in the sixth. 

The combined no-no propelled the Clippers to a winning record of 17-16.

Both Salas and Delp were awarded co-players of the game. 

The Clippers will be back in action on Tuesday for a three game road set with the Xenia Scouts.