FL Florence Y'alls

Freedom defeat defending champs, 8-4

by Andrew Kappes
Published on August 7, 2005 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls


Florence, Kentucky: 1,938 fans walked through the gates at Champion Window Field, hoping to see their Florence Freedom continue their winning ways, and Florence did just that, defeating the defending Frontier League champions, the Rockford Riverhawks.

The scoring didn't start until the bottom of the third inning, when the Freedom started cracking at Riverhawk starter Luke Lambo. With one out, Josh Sanchez walked, Scott Pickens singled advancing Sanchez to third, and with two outs, Mike Galloway singled in a run and advanced to second on an error. So with two runners in scoring position, Trevor Hall came through and singled in two runs, and after three, the Freedom lead 3-0. The Riverhawks tied the game up in the top of the fourth on RBIs from Nick Johnson, and Ashley Farr. But Florence regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth, when Scott Martin Doubled, Joe Holland walked, and Josh Sanchez singled in a run, another scored on an error.

The Freedom got another run in the fifth, when Trevor Hall doubled, and Kyle Geswein flew out to center, and Hall tagged up, and the Riverhawk's missed their cutoff man, and the ball got away, and Trevor Hall scored. In the sixth, Wally Quigg doubled in Joe Holland, and after six, the Freedom lead, 7-3. In the eighth, after a Scott Martin double, and a Joe Holland sac bunt, Josh Sanchez would have had an RBI ground out if Olmo Rosario wouldn't have thrown it to the backstop, Sanchez ended up with an RBI and reached on the error.

In the end, the Freedom came out on top, 8-4. Mark Harris (5-1) made his first start since early July, he went five and one/third, giving up three earned on six hits. Mickey O'Quinn came in for the save, he pitched three and two/thirds shutout innings, for his first save of the season.

Florence looks to clinch the series tonight, at 6:05, and wrap up the series Monday night at 7:05, both games at Champion Window Field. The Freedom remain three games back from first place Washington, but they also remain five and a half games over the Evansville Otters for the second and final playoff spot in the Frontier League East division. I had a chance to catch up with player of the game, as well as Manager Jamie Keefe, and Scott Pickens.

Player of the game Josh Sanchez:

If you didn't perform like you did, Florence might have ended on the opposite end of the spectrum, how do you feel about that?

Mr. Sanchez: I play every inning like it's my last.

How do you feel about the lineup change?

Mr. Sanchez: Its a big shake-up, but we were struggling.

Manager Jamie Keefe:

The offense was struggling until you made the lineup change in Kalamazoo, why do you think the change reversed that?

Mr. Keefe: The offense lost it's groove, we were seeing better pitches. Everyone was struggling, but DK's (Darrin Kinsolving) return helped our offense by taking pressure of some other guys.

You have a big series against third place Evansville coming up, does strategy change in these situations?

Mr. Keefe: Every game counts, East or West. We try to get a W in every game.

Scott Pickens:

Since the lineup has changed, the offense has started hitting again, and you are leading off, how does it feel to change positions in the order?

Mr. Pickens: Hitting has overcome, I also leadoff last year in Chillicothe.

My thanks to Mr. Sanchez, Mr. Keefe, and Mr. Pickens.

If you have a question, suggestion, or comment, feel free to e-mail me at andrew_kappes@yahoo.com.

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Frontier League Stories from August 7, 2005


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