Clinton Lumber Kings

BURLINGTON, Iowa — Brett White went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored, and the Clinton LumberKings (21-9, 3-2) used a six-run ninth inning to pull away from the Burlington Bees (14-16, 2-2) in a 15-4 win on Wednesday night at Community Field.

Clinton broke a 5-3 game wide open by scoring 10 runs over the final three innings, including three in the seventh and six in the ninth. This would be the second time in back-to-back games that the LumberKings would score six runs in the top of the ninth inning after defeating the CornBelters 10-5 on Tuesday night in Normal. Max Burt went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, and Sam Wiese added three hits and drove in two.

The LumberKings struck early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first. Kaden Frommelt lined an RBI single to left to score Nick Venteicher, and Wiese followed with a single to right to bring home White. Clinton tacked on another run in the second when Venteicher drove in Jaylen Ziegler with a groundout to third.

Jamie Rasmussen made it 4-0 in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Venteicher for the second time. Burt added another run in the sixth with a groundout that brought in White, who had singled earlier in the frame.

Burlington responded in the fifth when Colin Schmitke singled to left to score Danny Rollins. The Bees added two more in the sixth. Kooper Schulte singled in Keanu Spenser, and Caleb Seibers followed with an infield RBI single to plate Mason Schwalbach, trimming the deficit to 5-3.

Clinton extended its lead in the seventh on RBI singles by Wiese and Burt and a sacrifice fly by Danny Gavin. Rasmussen brought home Venteicher again with a groundout in the eighth to make it 9-3.

After Burlington added an unearned run in the eighth, Clinton batted around in the ninth. Burt singled home White, Ziegler lifted a sac fly to score Wiese, and Cougar Cooke and Frommelt drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks. White capped the scoring with a two-run single to right.

Jaqson Tejada (4-1) earned the win for Clinton, tossing five innings and allowing three runs — two earned — on six hits. He struck out three and walked one. Elijah Green pitched three innings in relief, yielding one unearned run on three hits with one strikeout. Camden Clewett pitched a scoreless ninth.

Kaelen Clarkson (0-2) took the loss for Burlington after allowing three runs on five hits over four innings. The Bees used four relievers, including Colten Clarahan, who gave up four runs (three earned) in three innings. Zane Frese and Erick McKendry combined to allow seven runs in the final two frames.

Schmitke and Schulte each had two hits and an RBI to lead Burlington, which finished with nine hits but stranded seven runners.

The LumberKings return to Community Field and look to sweep the Bees and win out the three day road trip. Fans can watch on prospectleaguenetwork.com or listen for free at wcciradio.com or tune in on 100.3 WCCI-FM.