SPRING LAKE — In the game of baseball, even really good teams can get tripped up on an off day.

When that off day comes against another really good team and an ace pitcher, the troubles can snowball quickly.

That was the case for the Fruitport baseball team Friday against rival Spring Lake. The Trojans, who came in with a 9-1 record, played sloppy defense, struggled to solve Lakers ace pitcher Maddux Kipling and suffered a mercy-rule loss, 10-0 in five innings.

“Our guys are resilient, they’ll bounce back,” said Fruitport head coach Nick Reed. “They know they didn’t play their best. We dropped three fly balls, booted two ground balls. Five errors is gonna kill you, especially to a good team like Spring Lake.

“We didn’t play our best. That’s OK right now. We want to be playing our best at the end of the year. I know our guys will come back to work on Monday and be ready to go.”

Senior standoutr Trevor Rusnak started for the Trojans and pitched three innings. He allowed three runs on four hits with three strikeouts before leaving with arm soreness.

Reed said the team wanted to “err on the side of caution” in taking Rusnak out.

Meanwhile, Fruitport managed just three hits against Kipling, all singles. The Michigan State-bound pitcher had six strikeouts and two walks in five scoreless innings.

“When Maddux is pitching, you have to try to scratch across for one of two runs,” Reed said. “It’s always tough to face a guy for the first time and not really know the velocity he has and the pitches he has.

“We got a good five innings and a good look at him. I think we can make some adjustments and come prepared and ready when we see him in districts.”

Spring Lake scored in every inning, highlighted by a five-run fourth. The Lakers’ first run came on a balk, scoring Owen Smies after he tripled with two outs in the first inning.

Kipling helped his own cause with a solo home run in the second inning to make it 2-0. In the third inning, Peter May led off with a double, advanced on a bunt and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

Spring Lake sent 10 batters to the dish in the fourth and scored five runs, aided by two Fruitport errors. Kipling and Owen Smies both doubled in the frame, while Alex Straus smacked an RBI single.

In the fifth, Mason Troyer knocked in Straus, who reached on a three-base error. Two batters later, Troyer scored on a wild throw to end the game as Fruitport tried to turn a double play.

Satchel Norwood, Hudson Hazekamp and Wyatt Fielstra each had a hit for Fruitport. Cameron Bolger and Garrett Olson each drew a walk, while Kolton Kennedy reached on a hit-by-pitch.

Avery Lambers pitched the final 1.1 innings for the Trojans, with little success.

Fruitport is now 9-2 on the season, while Spring Lake improves to 13-1.