LocalSportsJournal.com

MUSKEGON – A bit of deja vu struck the Muskegon Clippers on Saturday when they hosted the Sandusky Ice Haulers, as they found themselves battling from behind. This time they made it happen, walking away with a 9-8 win.

The game marked the annual Clippers Clobber Cancer Night. The Clippers also set a franchise record with their 25th season victory and punched their ticket into the upcoming league playoffs.

Finding ways to put runs on the board was critical early for Muskegon as Sandusky got their bats cranking in a hurry. In the top of the second, the Ice Haulers batted in three runs on five hits and were undoubtedly excited when the Clippers notched only one run in response on a Brett Stanley sacrifice fly.

That confidence for Sandusky grew in the top of the third when they turned it into a 4-1 lead with three more hits. This time Muskegon failed to answer, leaving them in a hole.

The Clippers dug out of that hole with ease in the bottom of the fourth.

After Colin Cornwell was walked, a string of singles from Stanley, Brandon Scheurer, Sam Lisiak and Jabin Bates scored three consecutive runs. That kept Muskegon in it, knotting up the score at 4-4.

Photo/Kristine Tyler

Sandusky was not going to remain quiet, though. The Ice Haulers turned four hits into four more runs in the top of the fifth. Fortunately for the Clippers, their momentum continued and hits from Aaron Piasecki, Lisiak and Bates brought in three more runs to keep things close.

The sixth inning is where Muskegon was finally able to take the lead. Following a scoreless top half of the stanza for Sandusky, the Clippers scored two runs on singles from Cornwell and Stanley and had their first lead of the game, 9-8.

Solid pitching to round out the game held the Ice Haulers without a hit and allowed Muskegon to even up the series at 1-1.

Gavin Sitarz earned the win for the Clippers as he saw three critical innings of work on the mound, allowing no runs on one hit and striking out two. Jaxon Huffman put a save under his belt as the closer, closing out the ninth inning with no hits and one strikeout.

Stanley went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Lisiak led the team in RBI with three while Scheurer and Bates each had two.

The Clippers (25-5) will now look to take the series at historic Marsh Field at 4:05 p.m. Sunday.

Photo/Kristine Tyler

Photo/Kristine Tyler

Photo/Kristine Tyler