LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON — Don’t look now, but the Muskegon Clippers are on another winning streak.
After winning their first eight games, the Clippers lost a game. But, after Saturday night’s 8-5 victory over the Michigan Monarchs, the Clippers have won four in a row and stand at 12-1 for the season.
Matthew Hoover started on the mound and went six innings. He allowed two earned runs, one walk and struck out six. DJ Thompson came on for an inning and allowed two runs. Brandon Scheurer finished it off with two scoreless innings.
Clippers’ starting pitcher Matthew Hoover delivers a pitch in the first inning. Photo/Eric Sturr
After falling behind 1-0 after the top of the first, the Clippers scored one in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly, one in the third on a double by Stoney Smith and two runs in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Caleb Sanders and an RBI single by Luke Kerrins, who finished the night with three hits.
Muskegon increased the lead to 8-1 with a four-run fifth inning. After a run scored on a wild pitch, Nicolas Hawkins belted a three-run home run to cap the scoring for the evening for the Clippers.
The Monarchs added single runs in the fifth and sixth and two in the seventh.
Smith finished with three hits and raised his batting average to .341. Donovan Rinehart added a pair of hits.
In all, the Clippers had 12 hits.
The teams will tangle again at 7:05 p.m. at Cleary Field, the home of the Monarchs.
Home action returns to Marsh Field on Tuesday night when the Clippers begin a three-game homestand against Jet Box.
Nicolas Hawkins gets full extension on his three-run blast in the fifth inning. Photo/Eric Sturr
Muskegon Clipper Stoney Smith slides head-first into second for a stolen base. Photo/Eric Sturr
Stoney Smith hustles out an infield single. Photo/Eric Sturr
Randy Mergener, from the Langlois Furniture sponsor group, tosses out the ceremonial first pitch. Photo/Eric Sturr
Two young fans hula-hoop for a chance to win a Clippers’ prize. Photo/Eric Sturr
