Clinton Lumber Kings

CLINTON, Iowa — The Clinton Giants (6-4) showcased a commanding offensive performance with two homers highlighting the night at NelsonCorp Field on Thursday, defeating the Normal CornBelters (3-4) 9-1.

Jalen Martinez led the Giants' offense, going 2-for-2 with a home run, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Chase Womack contributed with a double and two RBIs. RJ Sherwood hit his fifth-team-leading homer as well.

The Giants took an early lead in the first inning when Rayth Petersen walked with the bases loaded, allowing Jalen Martinez to score. They extended their lead to 2-0 in the third inning when Martinez scored on a passed ball.

The CornBelters' only highlight came in the sixth inning when Zach Zychowski hit a solo home run, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The Giants quickly responded with a six-run outburst in the bottom half of the inning. RJ Sherwood started the surge with a solo homer, followed by an RBI single from Karson Grout and another RBI single from Clay Jacobs. Chase Womack then doubled, driving in two runs, and Martinez capped the inning with a two-run home run, making it 9-1.

Clinton's pitching staff was stellar throughout the game. Owen Puk (1-0) earned the win, pitching five innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts. Zach Voelker, Ian Dittmer, and Cade Turner combined to shut down the CornBelters for the remaining innings, allowing just three hits and one run.

For the CornBelters, Zach Zychowski was the lone bright spot, finishing 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Pitcher Drake Downing (0-3) took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) over three 

The LumberKings welcome the Illinois Pistol Shirmp for a doubleheader on Friday, July 12. Game one starts in the bottom of the third from June 20th's game and will end with nine innings. Game two will be a seven-inning game and begin 30 minutes after the final out of game one. First pitch of game one is set for 5:00 p.m. Fans can tune into the game on 100.3 WCCI-FM or on PLTV.