Clips lose in Extras
FINDLEY, OH – Muskegon’s AJ Park was one strike away from slamming the door on the host Sluggers. A full-count gap shot with two outs followed by an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth fueled what ended up being a devastating early season loss for the Clippers and an unbelievable 11-10 win for Flag City.
The visiting Clippers put on their best display of hitting so far this season and competed in the first of a three-game series against a tough Flag City Sluggers squad. It’s still early in the Great Lake Summer Collegiate season, but it's always hard putting a ten spot in the run column and still coming away with a loss.
For an instant classic like we had seen on Tuesday night, it started off rocky for the Clips as they surrendered three early runs in the first inning. But just a few days ago on the road in Hillsdale, the Clippers climbed all the way back from a deficit of five runs, and that’s exactly what they did on Tuesday. Sam Briggs, who got his first start as a hitter for Muskegon this season, ripped a double in the second followed by back-to-back doubles from Isaiah Domey and Caden Thelen that plated two more runs and gave us a 4-3 ballgame after three innings.
Andrew Pohlmann got his first start in Clipper threads and settled down after the first inning and gave Muskegon a solid four innings of work on the hill striking out three and just allowed three earned runs (5 R).
It was the top of the fourth where the Clippers lineup exploded for five runs when Domey and Thelen knocked in a pair of runs each. The Clips led 8-5 after the fifth and called upon Drew Diehl out of the bullpen. Diehl tossed three innings allowing three runs and struck out two. Sluggers left fielder Drew Tajblik doubled and came across to score in the seventh to cut the Clipper led to just one run.
Newly minted backstop Cayden Nieto launched a homer to left in the ninth to give Muskegon much needed cushion heading into the final three outs of game one. Though, a late (very late) rally from Flag City that began with a walk from Atticus Huffstutler seemed to not matter after back-to-back strikeouts, but a full-count two-out double from William Barnes gave the Sluggers some hope trailing just one run.
The very next hitter fell into another full count and worked a long at-bat that resulted in a game-tying single and sent game four of the Clippers 2026 season into extra innings.
The Clips went down in order in the top half of the tenth. The Sluggers, however, singled then reached on an error in which reliever for Muskegon Zane Gregg tried to make a tough play on a bunt back at him. In a valiant effort the throw went up the right field line, putting runners at the corners with no outs for Flag City. On a wild pitch, Ty O'Brien came into score giving the Sluggers a walk-off win.
Muskegon can still avenge game one’s nail-biting loss tomorrow and Thursday as they are in town for two more games against the Sluggers before returning home.