Beach Bums Split Doubleheader With Miners

May 28, 2009 - Frontier League (FL)
Traverse City Beach Bums News Release


TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- The Traverse City Beach Bums split the first ever doubleheader contest at Wuerfel Park on Thursday night, falling 1-0 to the Southern Illinois Miners in 11 innings in the opener but rallying to win 7-2 in the second contest.

Game One

Southern Illinois 1, Beach Bums 0 (11 Innings)

What was slated for a seven-inning contest in game one turned into an 11-inning pitchers' duel pitting the Miners' Ryan Bird against the Beach Bums' David Nathanson.

Nathanson would go all seven regularly-scheduled innings and one extra frame for eight innings of shutout baseball, inducing 17 groundouts with one strikeout while walking just one. He was selected as the Beach Bums' Player of the Game for his stellar outing.

Bird carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Brian Lapin legged out an infield single. The 2008 Frontier League Pitcher of the Year threw seven innings of two-hit ball for the visitors, striking out six batters, while walking one and forcing the hosts into 13 flyouts.

Southern Illinois' Brad Miller continued his hot streak against Traverse City, homering in the top of the 11th inning off of Pete McEneaney for the game's only run. Miller was 3-for-3 in game one.

The first 10 innings saw no runs on the board, but plenty of drama. The Miners singled twice to open the fourth inning before Nathanson induced a double play, and nearly a triple play, from the Beach Bums' infield to alleviate the threat before the right-hander struck out Randy Molina end the frame. The Beach Bums would turn four double plays in game one.

Southern Illinois would nearly take the lead in the ninth inning but left fielder Corey Whiting retired Andrew Sweet on a fly ball and then threw a strike to catcher Robby Alcombrack to get the Miners' Brad Miller tagging from third to end the frame.

Jeff Williams relieved Nathanson in the ninth inning and threw two shutout innings with one strikeout. McEneaney got the loss for the Beach Bums, giving up the solo shot to Miller.

Offensively, the Beach Bums were led by Whiting, who doubled down the right field line in the top of the 11th inning to start a late threat before being thrown out at home. Lapin, Bryan Frew, and Kyle Maunus each collected hits in game one.

Reliever Jake McMurran got the win, throwing 3.1 innings of relief for the Miners while Mike Phelps collected the save.

Game Two

Beach Bums 7, Southern Illinois 3

The Beach Bums chased Southern Illinois starter Tim Dennehy from the contest in the second inning, plating four runs to take control of the game.

Kyle Maunus started the inning with a single and Robby Alcombrack also singled. Both runners were moved up on a sacrifice bunt before Scott Billak posted his first hit as a member of the Beach Bums, a two-run single down the line in right. James Guerrero singled through the right side and Mike Epping doubled home a run. Guerrero was able to score on a wild pitch to close the rally. The Beach Bums posted more hits in the inning than they had in the entire first contest.

Southern Illinois slowly chipped away, getting an unearned run off of Beach Bums starter Brett Bostelman when Brad Miller lifted a sacrifice fly. Miller drove in six runs in the series for the Miners. The Miners pulled within 4-2 with a run in the fourth but could get no closer.

Traverse City tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning to pull away. Patrick Perry and Kyle Maunus each singled in the frame and with two outs Bryan Frew singled through the right side to score Perry. Maunus also came across when the throw from right got away. Scott Billak then doubled down the right field line to score Frew and cap the inning.

Bostelman upped his record to 2-0 by throwing five innings and allowing two runs (one earned). He walked three, struck out two, and scattered five hits. Kyle Touchatt pitched the sixth and allowed an unearned run while Greg Ford worked the seventh.

Billak was the Beach Bums Player of the Game. After being moved to the leadoff slot, he finished 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and three RBI. James Guerrero, Brian Lapin, Kyle Maunus, and Robby Alcombrack all posted multi-hit games.

The Beach Bums (2-4) will continue the six-game opening homestand tomorrow when the Evansville Otters come to Wuerfel Park in a 7:05pm contest. RHP Jason Kiley (1-0, 1.50) will make his home debut while Evansville places LHP Sean Thompson (0-0, 13.50) on the hill.



Frontier League Stories from May 28, 2009


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