Bird Dawgs Split Doubleheader with Florence, Set Franchise Record with 17 Hits in Game One Blowout
FL Down East Bird Dawgs

Bird Dawgs Split Doubleheader with Florence, Set Franchise Record with 17 Hits in Game One Blowout

Published on May 23, 2026 under Frontier League (FL)
Down East Bird Dawgs News Release


FLORENCE, Ky. - The Down East Bird Dawgs put on an offensive clinic in Game One and fought until the final out in Game Two, splitting Friday's doubleheader with the Florence Y'alls at Thomas More Stadium. Down East pounded out a franchise-record 17 hits and tied the franchise record for runs scored in a 13-7 Game One victory before falling 3-2 in Game Two on a spectacular catch that denied a potential game-tying hit, leaving the series tied heading into Sunday's rubber match.

Game One

Down East struck first in the second inning when Yeniel Laboy scored on an error and Tyler Blaum added a run on a fielder's choice to make it 2-0.

Florence answered with a solo home run from Marcus Brodil and two more runs in the third on an RBI single from Hank Zeisler and a sacrifice fly by Brendan Bobo to take a 3-2 lead.

The Bird Dawgs responded with a three-run fourth as Trey Law singled in a run and Lyle Miller-Green drove in two with a base hit to left. Down East kept rolling in the fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate and plating four more runs - two on a wild pitch and two on a Blaum single up the middle - to stretch the lead to 10-3.

Bobo hit a two-run homer to cut it to 10-5 before the Bird Dawgs put the game away in the sixth with four more runs, capped by a bases-clearing triple from Laboy to push the lead to 13-5. Bobo added his second two-run homer of the night in the seventh to set the final at 13-7.

Drew Henderson (1-1) earned the win, allowing five runs on nine hits over five innings with four strikeouts and two walks.

Zac Westcott (0-1) took the loss for Florence, surrendering seven runs on nine hits over 4â..." innings.

Game Two

Florence jumped ahead with two runs on a Down East error in the second and added a run on a bases-loaded walk from Garrett Broussard in the third to take a 3-0 lead.

The Bird Dawgs chipped away in the fifth when Laboy hit an RBI groundout and Stephen DiTomaso doubled in a run, cutting the deficit to 3-2, but Down East left the bases loaded to keep the gap intact.

The Bird Dawgs had the tying run on base in both the sixth and seventh innings before center fielder Jackson Tucker made a sensational leaping catch on a deep drive off the bat of Colby Backus to end the threat and seal the 3-2 victory for Florence.

Rolando Heredia-Bustos (0-1) took the loss despite a strong outing, allowing just one earned run on six hits over five innings with five strikeouts and three walks.

Liam Alpern (1-1) earned the win for Florence, allowing two runs on two hits over 4â..." innings with six strikeouts and three walks. Aiden McEvoy picked up his fourth save of the season, delivering a one-hit seventh with a strikeout.

The Bird Dawgs (5-9) and Y'alls (7-7) meet in the rubber match Sunday, May 24, with first pitch scheduled for 1:07 p.m. ET.

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Frontier League Stories from May 23, 2026


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