MWL1 Clinton LumberKings

L'Kings Flex Muscle in 18-4 Win over Snappers

Published on June 1, 2014 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Clinton LumberKings News Release


Beloit, WI - The Clinton LumberKings (28-27) made sure there would be no blown saves against the Beloit Snappers (24-32) Sunday afternoon at Pohlman Field. Both the L'Kings and Snappers blew two saves apiece Saturday night in an eventual 6-5, 10-inning Beloit win. Just over 16 hours later, Clinton pounded out 19 hits, led 9-3 after three innings, hit three home runs and breezed to an 18-4 blowout, evening the series at one.

Leading up to first pitch, the wind was gusting out to straightaway center between 20-30 miles per hour. It didn't let up during the game either, but it was only the L'Kings hitters who capitalized on the hitter-friendly conditions.

Austin Wilson cranked his sixth home run of the season, a two-run blast during an eight-run third inning, and Zach Shank and Justin Seager both hit two-run homers as well, giving lefties Eddie Campbell (4-3) and Paul Fry plenty of run support.

Clinton struck first on a Wilson RBI fielder's choice, but Beloit responded with single runs in the first and second innings.

The L'Kings regained the lead for good in the third, sending 12 batters to the plate. They got two hits in the inning from both Christian Carmichael and Shank. The L'Kings' catcher led off the frame with a single and stepped up again with two outs and promptly drilled a bases-clearing triple which gave Clinton an 8-2 lead. Shank then scored Carmichael with an RBI single, completing the eight-run outburst.

Beloit got another run in the third and one more in the sixth - both off of Campbell - to cut Clinton's lead to five, 9-4. But Clinton scored four runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth to run away 18-4 victors.

Carmichael - who set a new career-high with a perfect 5-for-5 afternoon - came a home run away from the cycle. After he singled and tripled in the third, he split the gap in the fifth for another three-bagger. He then doubled in the seventh and knocked a single in the eighth.

Shank also had a chance at the cycle during his at-bat in the eighth, needing a triple, but the second baseman flied out to left. Clinton's leadoff spark plug finished 3-for-6 with three RBIs. Wilson's double in the ninth left the slugger a triple shy of the cycle as well.

Clinton's Josh Spoerl was the last LumberKings player to hit for the cycle, a 4-for-5 performance on July 19, 2000, against the Kane County Cougars in their inaugural season. While Carmichael, Shank, and Wilson came up short, winning was the only thing on the players' minds following Saturday's 6-5 heartbreaker.

Campbell earned his second straight win after allowing four earned runs in 5.1 innings. The southpaw scattered 11 hits, walked one, and struck out four in his 11th start of the season. Beloit's Dylan Covey (3-4) was tagged for nine runs - eight earned - over five innings. Paul Fry recorded the final 11 outs for the LumberKings, and in doing so, picked up his first save of the season. He struck out five in 3.2 shutout innings.

The L'Kings finished the month of May on a sour note Saturday. They opened June with a bang Sunday.

Clinton and Beloit meet Monday night for the series finale and final first-half matchup between the two teams. The LumberKings will send righty Carlos Misell (5-4, 4.20) to the mound against Beloit right-hander Bobby Wahl (0-4, 7.01). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM CT at Pohlman Field. The game can be heard on WCCI 100.3 FM, wcciradio.com, and lumberkings.com.

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Midwest League Stories from June 1, 2014


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