Mammoths Hold Off Late Hoppers Rally for 5-4 Victory
UTICA, Mich. – The Westside Woolly Mammoths (21015) held off a late rally from the Eastside Diamond Hoppers (11-26) to earn a 5-4 victory Thursday night at UWM Field.
Eastside struck first when Kevon Jackson launched a solo home run in the top of the first inning, but Westside wasted little time responding. Dalton Pearson connected on a two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning before Corbin Shaw drove in another run, giving the Mammoths an early 3-1 advantage.
From there, Westside starting pitcher Conor Gausselin took control. He worked seven strong innings, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out seven and walking none to earn the win.
The score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the seventh, when Tommy Stevenson provided a pair of important insurance runs with a two-run home run, extending Westside’s lead to 5-1. Stevenson led the Mammoths offensively with three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs, while Pearson also finished with two RBIs.
Eastside refused to go quietly. The Hoppers rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth, with Johnson driving in one and Eli Watson bringing home two, cutting the deficit to just one at 5-4.
But the Mammoths shut the door in the ninth. Daniel Barcena worked a scoreless final inning to record the save and secure the 5-4 Westside victory.
Westside finished the night with five runs on nine hits, while Eastside recorded four runs on eight hits. Jackson paced the Hoppers with a 3-for-4 performance, including his first home run of the season, while Watson added two hits and two RBIs.