Hens seal season with stunning 5-2 victory over Clippers

The Mud Hens wrapped up their season in style with a thrilling 5-2 victory against the Clippers, sending Toledo's world-famous fans home with one last reason to cheer.

The action kicked off at 2:05 PM, marking a bittersweet finale. The Clippers looked to make an early mark, but after a single, two strikeouts, and a lineout, they came up empty in their first chance. On the Mud Hens' side, Akil Baddoo drew a walk, but a grounder to second led to a double play, ending the inning with both teams scoreless.

In the bottom of the second, Eddys Leonard put on a show. He crushed his fourth home run in three games, sending the ball soaring over the fence near the scoreboard. The crowd erupted as Leonard crossed the plate, grinning from ear to ear. Bligh Madris kept the momentum going with a single, but the Clippers turned a double play to keep the damage minimal.

The third inning breezed by with a quick 1-2-3 from the Clippers. Ryan Vilade kept the excitement alive with a close-call single to third, but the Mud Hens couldn’t convert, leaving him stranded after two groundouts and a flyout. Toledo's defense stayed sharp as PJ Poulin took over the mound in the fourth, striking out a Clipper to end the inning.

The Clippers managed to tie things up in the top of the fifth with a home run of their own, making it anyone’s game. Austin Schulfer then stepped in to pitch for the Hens, locking down a scoreless sixth inning with two strikeouts and a stellar lineout grab by Riley Unroe. In the bottom of the sixth, Ryan Kreidler took a walk, setting the stage for Baddoo to crush his ninth homer of the season, putting the Hens back in front. Baddoo strutted across home plate with a beaming smile, knowing the Hens had taken the lead.

In the seventh, the Clippers scratched across a run, but a key out at home kept them from doing more damage. Tomás Nido gave the Hens some hope with a line drive to left, but three quick flyouts halted the inning. As the wind picked up, hinting at rain, the Hens knew they had to close it out soon.

Devin Sweet took charge in the eighth, delivering two strikeouts and teaming up with Leonard at second base to make a clean play for the third out. The Hens came up to bat once more, and Drew Maggi worked a walk to get things going. Vilade followed with a single, putting Hens on the corners. That’s when Baddoo came through again, ripping a double that brought Maggi home with ease, while Vilade slid headfirst into home, safe by a whisker. The Hens were up by three and ready to finish the job.

With the crowd buzzing, the Mud Hens needed just three outs to seal the win. A flyout, strikeout, and popout later, the game was over. Toledo's loyal fans roared as the Hens finished their season with a well-earned victory.

It was a season finale to remember, and the Mud Hens' faithful can already grab tickets for next year!

Notables:

Eddys Leonard (1-4, RBI, HR)

Akil Baddoo (2-4, 3RBI, HR)