By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – Monday night’s Muskegon Clippers game featured a little bit of everything.
Hitting, dominant pitching, and solid defense were showcased – all by the home team.
Clippers starting pitcher Kyle Lawson set the tone, pitching six shutout innings to lead Muskegon to a 10-1 victory over the Holland Millers at Marsh Field.
Kyle Lawson throws a strike during the fourth inning. Photo/Jason Goorman
The Clippers improved to 2-0 on the season and will face the Millers next Monday night at 6 p.m. in Holland.
Lawson, this year’s Muskegon Community College baseball MVP, held the Millers scoreless, giving up seven hits and striking out seven batters.
“I felt really good,” said Lawson. “It has been awhile since I have been on the mound but my arm feels really good.”
“Kyle (Lawson) is always around the plate,” said Clippers Manager Walt Gawkowski. “He was very effective and efficient.
“We did some nice things in all parts of the game, it was a great night.”
The most impressive aspect of Lawson’s performance was his ability to communicate with his catcher, Connor Glick, with limited practice. Glick plays for Grand Valley State University.
“I think we were on the same page,” said Lawson. “I threw a bullpen with him earlier in the week and we figured a strategy that worked very well.”
Connor Glck makes the tag on Holland’s Wes Custer. Photo/Jason Goorman
Glick also made an impact offensively, hitting a three-run home run in the third inning to give Muskegon an early five-run lead.
“I knew I was going to get a good pitch to hit,” Glick said. “I was able to get my hands extended and was able to hit it pretty well.”
Clippers leadoff hitter Connor Seymour also had a huge night offensively, knocking in three run on four hits (two singles, a double and a home run) and making numerous defensive plays from shortstop.
The Clippers scored one run in the first two innings on a sacrifice fly by Jamie Potts and an RBI groundout by Seymour, respectively.
Glick gave the Clippers a 5-0 lead with a three-run home run in the third inning. Ryan Mergener added a run in the fourth inning on an RBI groundout.
Ryan Mergener crosses home plate after Jamie Potts reaches second on an two-run double in the sixth inning. Photo/Jason Goorman
Clippers centerfielder Matt Williams kept the Millers off the scoreboard in the fifth inning, throwing a cannon from the outfield straight to the catcher’s mitt to get Holland’s Matt Donker out at the plate.
Muskegon scored three more in the sixth inning on a one-run single by Seymour and two-run double by Potts.
The Millers finally got on the board in the seventh inning on a throwing error by Clippers relief pitcher Nick Eely, cutting the Muskegon lead to 9-1.
Seymour closed the scoring with a solo home run in the eighth inning.
Relief pitchers Eely, Brandon Melchert, and Williams each pitched an inning for the Clippers. They collectively allowed one unearned run on one hit to seal the victory.
