Green Takes 2-0 Series Lead in Fall Ball World Series

Saginaw Township, MI – The Green team literally stole a win from the White team on Thursday in the Delta College Green and White world series to take a 2-0 lead in the best of five event. 

Derek Clyde scored on a double steal of home in the bottom of the tenth inning to snag a 4-3 win in a game that took two days and seven combined pitchers to finish.

The Green team – coached by Delta alum and current SVSU player James Baer – struck first in game two as Derek Clyde and Zack Booth each scored runs on a Steve Bauman RBI single and an error in the first inning to establish a 2-0 lead.  They would extend the lead to 3-0 in the second off of starting pitcher Matt Sahr as Jordan Jachens tripled and scored on a Justin Heinlein suicide squeeze. 

But Sahr and the White team would close the door after that and begin their comeback.

Starting Green team pitcher Thomas Fortney gave up a leadoff single to Tyler Robbins in the top of the third to get things going for the Whites.  Robbins would then steal second and third base before being brought home on a Grant Slomkowski sacrifice fly.

The White team would score again in the fourth as Drew Harding reached on a two-out walk and advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches.  A Tim Atkinson single plated him and made the score 3-2 as Fortney gave way to Austin Dingee in the fifth.

The White team led off the sixth with a walk to Harding who was plated on an RBI triple by Atkinson to tie the game at three apiece.    Dingee worked out of a bases loaded jam, however, as Atkinson was doubled off of third on a failed squeeze that was popped up.

Meanwhile, Sahr retired eleven in a row before giving way to Cody Orban in the sixth.  Orban was equally impressive for the White team as he faced just one batter over the minimum over the next three innings.  Chase Beyersdorf replaced Dingee for the Green team and didn't surrender a run in the seventh or eighth inning while walking two and striking out two. 

The game was called due to darkness and restarted on Thursday where the White team was shut down by Green pitcher Derek Clyde, 1-2-3.  Cooper Phibbs, meanwhile, led off the bottom of the ninth with a double to right-center off of White pitcher Tyler Kirkwood.  An intentional walk, a fielders choice and a 6-4-3 double play ended the threat however and pushed the game into the tenth inning with the score remaining, 3-3.

Clyde once again cruised through the inning and then led off the bottom portion with a walk.  A sacrifice bunt moved him to second where the White team opted to intentionally walk Green team slugger Dean Marais. 

Marias was then picked off trying to steal second base while Clyde was safely hugging third.  In the rundown that ensued between first and second in an attempt to nab Marais, Clyde broke for home and beat the throw to give the Green team a win and a 2-0 series lead.

"We just need to keep doing what we do and produce runs," said Green coach James Baer.  "We have all the confidence in the world that when it comes down to it – especially from a coaching perspective – we have the advantage and the White team pretty much has no chance at coming back and winning this thing."

White team head coach Greg Kazmierski retorted: "We know we are down to our last chance and although it's a tall tree to climb we're ready." 

Coach Kaz continued, "We know we have the better team and the most talent. We just need to execute in situations and limit the defensive errors."

Game three will be at Wickes Park on Wednesday.  First pitch is scheduled at 4:30pm.