MUSKEGON CLIPPERS 17 FLAG CITY SLUGGERS 8 - FINAL
MARATHON DIAMONDS - The Muskegon Clippers overpowered the Flag City Sluggers in the late innings taking the first game of the series 17-8.
Muskegon (12-16) trailed 6-2 going into the seventh inning when it’s bats woke up. The Clippers scored seven runs in the seventh followed by three more in the eighth and finishing with five in the ninth.
Ashten Wong (LSU Shreveport) started the scoring assault with a three run homer in the seventh cutting the deficit to 6-5. Aidan Robinson (Northwood University) tied the game 6-6 with an RBI-single driving in Davis Weeks (Michigan State commit). Muskegon took the lead when Taylor Head (Chattanooga State Tech) was hit by and pitch allowing Cole Leclair (Texas A&M Texarkana) to score from third base. After Jack Bakus (Lansing CC) delivered an two-run single capping off the inning the score was now 9-6.
Flag City (13-13) answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh but Muskegon scored three more extending it’s lead to 12-7.
The Sluggers again scored a single run in the eighth but Flag City delivered a five-run knockout blow in the ninth inning.
Casey Barnes (University of Northwestern Ohio) came in to pitch the ninth for the Clippers setting down the Sluggers completing the comeback victory.
Bakus was 4-for-6 with three RBIs at the plate for the Clippers. Wong reached base six times contributed a balanced line going 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBIs, three walks and four runs scores.
Bret Reed (Lawrence University) and Will Lafferty (Marshall University) each had two hits and two runs scored for the Sluggers. Reed added a double and Lafferty two RBIs for good measure.
The series continues with the rubber game on Wednesday in Findlay. The first pitch is scheduled at Marathon Diamonds for 7:05pm.
