Belters Battle Back, Beat Freedom in 12 Innings
July 4, 2013 - Frontier League (FL)
Normal CornBelters News Release
NORMAL - The Normal CornBelters, presented by Illinois Corn Farmers, gave up a six-run fifth inning but battled back to tie the game in the ninth and win in 12 innings 9-8 over the Florence Freedom on Wednesday night at the Corn Crib. The CornBelters conclude the series against the Freedom on Thursday in a special 6 p.m. game time.
Long balls in a calm breeze lit the scoreboard in the first inning. The Freedom scored on a two-out solo home run over the right field clubhouse walkway gate by Jeremy Hamilton, and the first pitch of the CornBelters opening frame was deposited nearly in the same place by Mike Schwartz to tie the game at 1-1.
The Freedom tacked on a run in the second for a 2-1 lead on a pair of lead-off walks, a double steal and a fielder's choice. The Belters quickly answered with a pair of singles and walk with a sacrifice fly by Santiago Chirino to tie the game at 2-2 after two innings.
The Belters grabbed a 4-2 lead in the third when Pat McKenna launched a two-run homer to the left field grass with nobody out.
Florence exploded in the fifth inning with six runs. The Freedom loaded the bases on two singles and a walk and scored a run when the throw home on a slow infield roller was misplayed. Jacob Tanis then stroked a two-run double to left to give the Freedom a 5-4 lead, and another error plus two walks gave the Freedom an 8-4 lead.
Normal used another home run in the sixth to cut the deficit to 8-5 as Mike Mobbs drove a big fly to left field. The Belters scratched a two-out rally together in the seventh on RBI singles by Tyler Shover and Mike Mobbs to cut the Freedom lead to 8-7.
The CornBelters sent the game to extra innings when McKenna led off with a single and scored from first base on a two-out double to right field by Tyler Shover.
The Belters scored the winning tally in the 12th when a walk and two singles loaded the bases followed by the winning hit chopped over the drawn-in infield by T.J. Gavlik.
Jose Trinidad (4-1) pitched the final four innings, striking out eight for the win. Brent Choban (2-3) took the loss
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