Hens Hit Three Home Runs in Front of Opening Day Crowd

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IL Toledo Mud Hens

Hens Hit Three Home Runs in Front of Opening Day Crowd

March 28, 2025 - International League (IL)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release


The Toledo Mud Hens opened the 2025 season in front of over 12,000 fans with an 8-5 loss against the Columbus Clippers Friday afternoon. The Hens and Clippers went back and forth all game, but ultimately fell short.

Toledo went with lefty Lael Lockhart as the Opening Day starter who, last season, earned a 5.32 ERA and was a reliable starter for the Hens.

On the offensive side of things, it didn't take long for Toledo to get on the board. Jace Jung earned the Hens' first hit of the season in dramatic fashion with an opposite-field homer in the first inning.

Things turned bleak for the Mud Hens in the third as two walks and a botched fielder's choice by Andrew Navigato loaded the bases for the Clippers. Columbus tied things up with an RBI single from Juan Brito, then took the 3-1 lead with a double off the bat of Angel Martinez.

After a strikeout and a bases-loading walk from Lockhart, Ryan Miller would take over on the bump. Miller would stop the bleeding with his speedy fastball and earned two run-saving strikeouts.

Miller continued to work his way through the Clippers' lineup only allowing one hit to Dayan Frias and earning a strikeout. Tomas Nido would catch Frias stealing second, keeping Columbus off the board in the fourth inning.

With bases cleared and two outs in the fifth, Justyn-Henry Malloy made sure to let the Clippers know that the Hens were still in this, as he ripped a fastball 443 ft into center field to make it 3-2.

Bailey Horn would pick up right where Miller left off, dealing two strikeouts and a pop-up to keep the deficit at one.

The Mud Hens were finally able to send Clippers' starter Doug Nikhazy back to the dugout in the sixth inning. Parker Mushinski would be handed the reins, but the Hens were quick to jump on him.

With runners at second and third, thanks to an Andrew Navigato double, Bligh Madris reclaimed the lead with a two-run triple. Columbus then pulled Mushinski and let Bradley Hanner close the inning, down 4-3.

Brendan White would replace Horn going into the seventh. The Clippers bats caught fire, as Milan Tolentino hit a triple into left field to start the inning. A Brito sac-fly would tie things 4-4, but Columbus quickly took the lead from there. Martinez then found his second double of the day in a grounder that took a friendly bounce off of first base, before Will Wilson took the 6-4 lead with a 429 ft bomb.

Kody Huff and Petey Halpin teamed up to make it 7-4 with a double and an RBI single respectively.

With Hanner returning to the mound, Justice Bigbie swiftly put the Hens back in it with a solo shot to cut the deficit to two. Hanner then drilled Jahmai Jones, before giving up a sac-fly to Hao-Yu Lee which moved Jones to third.

That queued Clippers Manager Andy Tracy to move on to Zak Kent who prevented any further damage to their lead.

With the game still within reach, Toledo brought Jordan Balazovic to the mound. He started the inning by giving up a double to Frias, before forcing two outs. Brito then got Columbus some insurance with his second RBI single of the game, before Nido caught him stealing.

Now trailing three, the Hens asked Andrew Chafin to keep their hopes alive. He did just that, going one, two, three with two strikeouts.

The game came to a close as Nick Mikolajchak retired the final three Toledo batters, to secure Columbs' 8-5 victory.

The Mud Hens and the Clippers will return to Fifth Third Field Saturday at 4:05 p.m.

Notables:

Justyn-Henry Malloy (2-3, HR, RBI, 2R, BB, K)

Jace Jung (1-4, HR, RBI, R)

Justice Bigbie (1-4, HR, RBI, R)

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International League Stories from March 28, 2025


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