A Season Of Success Comes To An End – Baseball at The Hive

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

The Burlington Bees needed last-out heroics to extend their season.

But the Clinton LumberKings had the last answer.

Jalen Martinez’s infield single in the 10th inning scored Drew Phillips with the winning run in the LumberKings’ 3-2 win over the Bees in Friday’s Prospect League Northwest Division championship game at Clinton.

The Bees, who had won the second-half title to clinch the first playoff appearance since joining the league in 2021, had tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning when Owen Nowak singled to center field to score Jace Figuereo and Kooper Schulte.

The Bees couldn’t score in the top of the 10th inning. They had runners on first and third with two outs, but Schulte’s fly ball to left field ended the inning.

Phillips, who started on second base in the bottom of the 10th inning under the league’s extra-inning rule, advanced to third on Braeden Sunken’s wild pitch with one out. The Bees brought the infield in to try to cut down the runner at the plate, but Martinez was able to get the hit to win the game.

Clinton scored both of its runs in the second inning. Cougar Cook’s double scored Martinez, then Cook scored on James Hackett’s single.

Bees starter Kael Clarkson pitched five innings. Mitchell Cox, Zach Leuschen and Sunken held the LumberKings scoreless over the next three innings to give Burington a chance in the top of the ninth.

The Bees went 33-22 this season, including the 21-7 record in the second half, both franchise highs in the Prospect League.