Muskegon Clippers sweep a pair of games from Motor City Mechanics

By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com

MUSKEGON – Muskegon Clippers’ catcher, first basemen and designated hitter Cameron Bair came along way to play for Muskegon.

The second-year Clipper plays college baseball at Volunteer State in Tennessee, and missed most of his spring season with a meniscus injury.

But Bair is healthy again, and was at the center of the action in Game 1 of Saturday’s twin bill at Marsh Field. He knocked in three runs and was at the plate on a run-scoring wild pitch in Muskegon’s 4-2 win over the Motor City Mechanics.

“I have been trying to do too much lately,” said Bair. “I saw good pitches to hit and luckily we had runners on base.”

Bair’s performance was one of the few bright spots of the afternoon, according to Clippers Manager Walt Gawkowski.

“Cameron has been tremendous,” said Gawkowski. “He just loves to play and he’d play every day if he had a chance. He is an important part of our team.

“I wasn’t real pleased with our energy level, but we did enough to win the game. (Starting pitcher) Jackson (Shaver) threw well once he settled in and Austin Batka, who is a nice addition to our pitching staff, pitched a tremendous last two innings.”

Shaver tossed five innings and picked up the win for Muskegon, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out six batters.

Clippers’ reliever Batka, who was picked up from the defunct River City Rapids, tossed two scoreless innings, striking out four batters.

The Clippers improved to 6-0 in league play and 6-1 overall. They are in first place in the Michigan Summer Collegiate Baseball league, leading the second-place Holland Millers by two games.

Both teams exchanged two runs in the first inning.

Motor City opened the scoring with a two-run single by Colin Moran scoring Justin Green and Nick Rangos to give the Mechanics a 2-0 lead.

The Clippers responded with a two-run single by Bair, scoring Logan Fleener and Matt Williams to tie the game 2-2.

The game remained tied until the fifth inning when Motor City’s starting pitcher Chris Nelson threw a wild pitch, scoring Will Harris to give Muskegon a 3-2 lead.

The Clippers added an insurance run in the fifth on an RBI single by Bair, scoring Williams.

Muskegon dominated the Mechanics in the nightcap of the doubleheader 19-2 in a shortened three-inning contest to improve to 7-0 in league play.

The Clippers were paced by Connor Glick with three RBIs while Andrew Null and Will Harris chipped in with two RBIs.

Null pitched all three innings allowing two runs on three hits while striking out three batters.