By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON- The Muskegon Clippers have been one of the top offensive teams in the Great Lakes Collegiate Summer League all season – but not on
Thursday night.
The Clippers only managed one hit in a 6-2 loss to the Grand River Loggers at Marsh Field.
Nolan Bryant makes the throw to first base to complete the double play for the Clippers. Photo/Jason Goorman
Muskegon is now 11-14 on the season, good for a third-place tie in the league’s Northern Division.
“We just didn’t make anything happen on offense tonight,” said Clippers Manager Walt Gawkowski. “There was no traffic on the base paths and we didn’t put any pressure on them. I thought their pitchers were too comfortable, and that’s disappointing.”
The Clippers also suffered a blow when their leading hitter, Peter Zimmerman, left the game with an apparent ankle injury in the fourth inning. There was no word on how long he might be out of the lineup.
“It really hurt to lose Peter,” Gawkowski said. “He has probably been one of our best hitters all year.”
The Clippers will have a chance to avenge the loss Friday night at home against the Loggers. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.
Grand River opened the scoring in the third inning on a solo home run by leadoff hitter Chad Wagner and an RBI single from Anthony Adduci.
The Loggers added a run in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead on an RBI single by Zachary Leone.
The Clippers finally got on the board with their lone hit of the evening, a solo homer from Jimmy Roche. in the bottom of the fourth.
The Loggers added two runs in the eighth on solo homers by Jason Cryar and Bailey Peterson.
Muskegon got its final run in the bottom of the eighth when Nolan Bryant scored on an error. Grand River closed out the scoring in the ninth on an RBI single by Cody Staab.
Adam Biss suffered the loss on the mound for Muskegon, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out eight batters in 6 1/3 innings.
