SOUTH BEND – A win is a win and thePlymouth Pilgrims are glad to have it, taking a 16-9 final at South Bend Clay Saturday night.
The Pilgrims came out of the gate with a quick two-run first off Clay starter Cole Steveken and then chased him with four more in the second. Steveken had trouble finding the strike zone walking five Pilgrims hitters in the first two innings. Benji Nixon’s three-run double in the second gave Plymouth a lead they would never relinquish.
Clay, however refused to walk away.
“I thought we put the bat on the ball and took advantage of some free bases they gave us,” said Plymouth head coach Ryan Wolfe. “Their top four hitters are pretty good hitters and late in the game we gave them some free bases. Any time you give the eight and nine hitter a free pass and role the lineup over,they’re going to score some runs.”
Clay scored one of its own in the first on Santana Cruz’s two-out double, and added three more in the second on three Plymouth errors to stay within striking distance at 6-4.
Fortunately the Pilgrims continued to add runs with three moer in the third, two in the fourth and a big five-run sixth; the big blow in the sixth – a two-run homer by Cole Filson.
Meanwhile Grant Stukenborg was putting up another solid outing on the mound, finally leaving for reliever Ezra Winkle in the sixth with two outs.
“He did a great job out there,” said Wolfe. “He got over 100 (pitches) at the end and he got a little tired I thought, but over the course of the game he did a fantastic job: Ground outs, fly outs a few strike outs. He was right around the plate – that’s what we want out of him.
Winkle came on to shut the door in the sixth and seventh to take the save. Stukenborg surrendered just four earned runs int the game, striking out three and walking just one before the sixth. Winkle didn’t give up a hit and struck out one in an inning and a third.
After a tough two weeks for the Pilgrims, the win is hopefully a sign of a return to the strong outings of the early season.
Benji Nixon had a three-for-five night with a pair of doubles and six RBIs. Filson was three-for-five, including his homer and three RBIs. Jesus Luva scored three times and was two-for-three.
“We have to use this,” said Wolfe. “We have to continue to improve and have good at bats. We are going to see better pitching than we saw tonight that’s for sure, but it’s all a confidence thing and hopefully this gives us a little confidence.”
Plymouth gets back to the .500 mark at 11-11 and face off against NorthWood at Bill Nixon Field on Monday.
Plymouth 16, S.B. Clay 9
At Clay
Plymouth 2 4 3 2 0 5 0 16-11-4
Clay 1 3 0 0 0 5 0 9-9-2
WP – Grant Stukenborg. LP – Cole Steveken. HR – Cole Filson (P). 2B – Benji Nixon 2 (P), Ezra Winkle (P), Trent Stoner ( C).
