LumberKings bats strike early to spark sweep of Rockabillys with 7-3 win
Jun. 30—CLINTON — Sam Lavin was on the mound for the Clinton LumberKings on Friday evening as Clinton looked to complete the two game sweep of the Jackson Rockabillys.
After a 13-6 win on Thursday, the LumberKings started off strong in game two with Lavin starting the game by striking out the side.
The offense kept that momentum going as a leadoff walk and a single by Trevor Burkhart put two on with no outs. Gavin Brzozowski then singled to bring the first run of the day across. Another walk loaded the bases for Connor Giusti as he singled up the middle to score two more runs and make it 3-0. A fielders choice scored one more run and Clinton led 4-0 after one inning of play.
Lavin stayed hot in the second, striking out his fourth consecutive batter before a couple of good defensive plays ended the inning, keeping the Rockabillys hitless through two innings.
Things got a little rocky for the LumberKings in the top of the third inning when Lavin began the inning with back to back walks. A one out double was ripped down the line and the Rockabillys cut their deficit in half, 4-2. However, Lavin struck out three in the inning and gave himself seven strikeouts through three innings.
The LumberKings started off the bottom of the third with two on and nobody out but a strikeout and a double play quickly ended the inning as Clinton stayed up by two runs.
Lavin shook off his third inning struggles, making quick work of the Rockabillys in the fourth.
Clinton was in business in the bottom half of the inning after three walks loaded the bases with two outs. However, the Rockabillys center fielder laid out for a ball to make an incredible catch that saved two runs from scoring.
Once again in the fifth the LumberKings loaded the bases on an infield single and two walks. A wild pitch then scored Parker Shupe to extend the LuberKings lead back to three runs, 5-2. Another run came across to score when the Rockabillys first baseman could not hold on to the third out and Clinton went up 6-2.
After confusion in the outfield allowed the Rockabillys to have a runner on second to leadoff the sixth inning, second baseman Alex Diaz doubled up the runner on a shallow pop for a double play that cleared the bases. The LumberKings then went on to escape the inning with no damage.
In the bottom half of the sixth, the LumberKings used an error to keep their inning alive, putting two runners on with two outs. Diaz then singled on a ball that bounced off the pitcher to extend their lead to 7-2.
Fulton native Drew Dykstra took over for the LumberKings on the mound in the sixth inning and he pitched well in both the sixth and seventh innings, allowing no hits.
Despite loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth, the LumberKings were unable to plate any runs as they went into the ninth inning with a 7-2 lead.
Clinton's very own Jared Simpson was on the mound to close things out for the LumberKings. After striking out the first two batters he faced, Simpson allowed a double and then a single to let the Rockabillys cut into their deficit, 7-3.
However, Simpson cleaned things up, getting the next two batters out to secure the 7-3 win for the LumberKings. Clinton is now 16-9 on the year and will host the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.
