CLINTON, IOWA-  On Wednesday night the Clinton LumberKings took on the Alton River Dragons for the first time in 2022.

 

Through the first five innings it was all River Dragons. Alton starter Justin Needles (Elon University) was in complete control through the first four innings. The righty did not allow a single LumberKings player to reach base until Chase Becker (University of Minnesota) doubled in the fifth inning. Clinton could only muster one run off of Needles in his six innings of work.

 

After Needles' departure Clinton would bounce back. Trailing 5-1 the LumberKings would pull to within one run. Adam Weed (University of Illinois Chicago) tripled with the bases loaded, clearing the bags and making it 5-4.

 

In the eighth Clinton grabbed the lead, Connor Giusti (UW-Oshkosh), with two men on, hit his first home run of the season, giving the LumberKings their first lead of the night at 7-5.

 

Alton responded in the bottom half, the River Dragons scored four times and went into the ninth holding a 9-7 advantage.

 

Clinton could not respond and dropped the game by the final score of 9-7.

 

Tomorrow the LumberKings will travel to QU Stadium for a single game against the Quincy Gems with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.