Shuckers Rally Late to Defeat Clingstones in Double-A Action

BILOXI, MS — In a hard-fought matchup on Wednesday afternoon, the Biloxi Shuckers rallied late to defeat the Columbus Clingstones 3-1, capitalizing on a three-run seventh inning to secure the win.

Atlanta Braves‘ No. 15 prospect Blake Burkhalter made a strong debut for Columbus, throwing six scoreless innings. However, the Shuckers turned the tide with their decisive seventh inning, led by a two-run double from Ramon Rodriguez.

Burkhalter started strong, holding the Shuckers scoreless for the first six frames, but he faced challenges in the seventh. After a leadoff single and a walk, Rodriguez’s double gave Biloxi its first lead of the game at 2-1. Cooper Pratt later added an RBI single, extending the Shuckers’ lead to 3-1.

“I felt good out there, but I need to learn from the mistakes in that inning,” Burkhalter said after the game. “I’ll take the positives from my start, but it’s disappointing not to get the win.”

While Burkhalter’s performance was commendable (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO), it was matched by Biloxi’s Alexander Cornielle, who also made his Double-A debut. Cornielle pitched six innings, allowing only one hit while striking out four.

The Clingstones struggled to find their offense throughout the game, managing just four hits from players including Carlos Rodriguez, Cal Conley, David McCabe, and Drew Compton.

“It’s tough when you can’t get the offense going, especially after a performance like Burkhalter’s,” said Clingstones manager Chris Johnson. “We need to be consistent and make adjustments as we move forward.”

The loss marked the second game in a row that Columbus fell short after a thrilling comeback win the previous night against Biloxi. Despite leading 6-0 at one point in that game, the Clingstones survived a last-inning surge from the Shuckers, ultimately winning 7-6 in extra innings.

Looking ahead, the Clingstones will face the Shuckers again on Thursday, April 10, at 7:35 pm ET, as they aim to bounce back in Keesler Federal Park. Columbus will send right-hander Drue Hackenberg (0-1, 18.00 ERA) to the mound, opposing Biloxi’s left-hander Tate Kuehner (0-1, 8.10 ERA).