Muskegon Clippers unable to outlast Ice Haulers

LocalSportsJournal.com

MUSKEGON – Those hoping to see tons of action in Friday’s duel between the Clippers and Sandusky Ice Haulers had to wait until the latter stages of Muskegon’s 5-4 loss.

No hits or runs through the first four innings had both teams desperate for a glimmer of offense. It was the Ice Haulers who got there first, leading off the top of the fifth with a home run for 1-0 lead.

Muskegon didn’t answer back immediately, but in the bottom of the sixth, they were able to rely on patient at bats and mistakes from the Ice Haulers. A string of walks and fielding errors loaded the bases to start the frame. Aaron Piasecki sent Danny Passinault across the dish with a sacrifice fly to knot things up.

Photo/Mike Banka

The Clippers used that momentum to piece together their first two hits of the game. Brett Stanley and Colin Cornwell each notched singles in back-to-back appearances at the plate, bringing in three runs giving Muskegon a 4-1 lead.

Hoping to keep Sandusky from answering, the Clippers headed into the seventh inning with plenty of confidence. That quickly turned into a scramble to stop the bleeding as the Ice Haulers turned two hits and a fielding error into three runs that tied the game.

Things didn’t get any better for Muskegon as they failed to answer back in the bottom of that same inning. Matters went from bad to worse in the top of the eighth inning as Sandusky was able to bring the go-ahead run home and leave the Clippers behind 5-4, a place they would remain for the rest of the night’s action.

Matthew Hoover got the start for the Clippers on the mound, allowing four runs on four hits with six strikeouts. Jack Snow replaced Hoover in the sixth inning and was given the loss after throwing just over two innings and allowing one run one hit.

Cornwell and Stanley were responsible for Muskegon’s only two hits of the night as Cornwell went 1-for-3 and Stanley was 1-for-4. Cornwell also led the way with two RBI.

The Clippers dropped to 24-5 with the loss, but will get a shot at redemption when they look to even the three-game series at Marsh Field, 7:05 p.m. Saturday.