RJ Sherwood Continues to Excel with the Help of 'Kings Newcomers
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Clinton LumberKings | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 1 |
|
Springfield Lucky Horseshoes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – On Monday night at Robin Roberts Stadium, the Clinton LumberKings (2-0) defeated the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes (0-1) 9-5. The LumebrKings complete the road sweep against the Lucky Horseshoes winning in every regular season contest in the 2024 season.
LumberKings newcomers Jaden Hackbarth and Byron Blaise were big contributors in the victory with Hackbarth hitting his first homer of the season to tie the game at three runs a side. Blaise recorded his first hit with the team in the top of the second and brought the first run in for the LumberKings. RJ Sherwood goes 3-for-5 in another stellar performance at the plate.
The Lucky Horseshoes started strong in the first inning, jumping to a quick 3-0 lead. Kannon Kirk drove in the first run with a single to left field, followed by a single from Charlie Marisca and a ground out by Tristan Meny, each adding an RBI. However, the LumberKings began to chip away at the lead, starting with a second-inning RBI single from Byron Blaise.
In the third inning, Jaden Hackbarth continued his hot streak, singling to drive in Jalen Martinez and bringing the LumberKings within one run. Hackbarth tied the game in the sixth inning with a solo home run to left field. The seventh inning proved pivotal as Bryan Belo's double brought home two runs, and Martinez added another RBI, giving Clinton a 6-3 lead.
Springfield rallied in the seventh inning, with Jaison Andujar and Gavin Erhardt each driving in runs to cut the deficit to one. But Clinton responded in the ninth inning, capitalizing on a critical error by the Lucky Horseshoes' third baseman to score three unearned runs and secure the win.
RJ Sherwood was a standout performer for Clinton, going 3-for-5 and playing a key role in the field. Belo's clutch hitting and Hackbarth's power were crucial in the victory. Despite Springfield's efforts, led by Kannon Kirk and Jaison Andujar, they couldn't overcome the LumberKings' late surge.
Owen Puk started on the mound for the LumberKings, allowing three runs over three innings while striking out six. Kieran Bailey earned the win with a solid 3.1 innings of relief, giving up just one run. Ean DiPasquale and Sam Lavin closed out the game.
The LumberKings travel to Burlington on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. Fans can tune into the game on 100.3 WCCI-FM or on PLTV.