With three-straight whiffs in the top of the first and Glenville-Emmons/Alden-Conger responding with two runs on a double, a hit batter, a single and an error, the Clipper varsity boys didn’t get off to a tremendous start in Alden on Monday.
The Wolverines held their early lead for most of the game, but facing a new pitcher, the Clippers heaped on seven runs in the fifth and never glanced backwards.
With the 14-4 triumph, Clippers now have already won twice as many games as they won all last season.
“We started off a little rocky with our fielding and mental mistakes,” said head coach Charlie Haugen. “Later on, we cleaned all of that up and closed out the game nicely. We got the first pitcher's pitch count up high and started stringing some hits together. Once they brought in their second pitcher, we took a breath and really started hitting the ball well.”
In the second, the Clippers got on the board when Gabe Sullivan walked. Running for the senior catcher, Bode Bartell moved to second on a Braeden Smith groundout and scored after a pair of wild pitches, but the Wolverines went up 4-1 after two on a hit batter, a single with an error and a two-RBI single.
It was all Clippers from there on out, although they had to wait until the fifth to score again.
Top-of-the-order Blake Lyons led off with a single and reached on the play after an infield error. Next up after Lyons, Brennan Kortuem doubled for the RBI. With a double, Caleb Connor traded spots with Kortuem. After Sullivan hit the third Clipper double in a row, Connor held up at third, but he soon scored on a wild pitch.
Continuing the string of doubles, Smith airmailed a fly left field to score Sullivan from third. Miles Tomaszewski made it to second on a shortstop error, and Smith scored on the play. On a Kale Kelley single, Tomaszewski advanced to third and scored on a Carson Lyons sacrifice fly. Kelley scored from first when, batting for the second time in the frame, Blake Lyons hit into an error, and the Clippers were suddenly in front 8-4.
With a Sullivan single, a Smith RBI double, a Kyle Connor single, a Kelley free pass and base hits by each of the Lyons brothers, the Clippers added four State Farm runs in the sixth. In the seventh, Caleb Connor hit into an error, scored on a Sullivan double, and Sullivan scored on a Tomaszewski single for the Clippers’ final run.
The Clippers scattered 14 hits, twice as many as the Wolverines. Sullivan was three for four with a single and a pair of doubles and a walk. Smith was two for four with a pair of doubles. Kortuem went two for five with a pair of doubles. Blake Lyons hit two singles. Caleb Connor hit a double. Carson Lyons, Kelley and Tomaszewski each had one single.
Kyle Connor started out on the hill. He fanned five and allowed four hits and two earned runs. Taking over after three and a third innings, Alex Kortuem whiffed eight and gave up three hits. Both teams had four miscues.
Today’s (Tuesday’s) game vs St. Clair is rained out. The Clippers are scheduled to return to the field on Thursday for a home game against Mankato Loyola.
Above: Gabe Sullivan sets up to put out a Wolverine runner on his way home. (Photo courtesy of Patty Sullivan)