Freedom Drop First Game After Break
Published on July 17, 2009 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
MARION, IL - The Florence Freedom bats woke up too late after the four days off as they fell 5-2 Friday night to the Southern Illinois Miners.
Following the all-star break, the Miners sent Brett Scarpetta (2-2) to the hill. The right-hander held the Freedom without a base runner until the fifth inning and lasted into the eighth before leaving with the game at 2-1.
Leading off the eighth, Johnny Welch and Billy Mottram both doubled off Scarpetta to cut the lead to just a run. Mike Pinto then turned to his bullpen and Jake McMurren to stop the bleeding.
After Mottram was sacrificed to third for the first out, pinch hitter Matt Stiffler struck out swinging and Brad Hough popped up to short to end the threat.
Southern Illinois rallied for three runs off Freedom relievers Demetrious Banks and Andy Clark in the bottom half of the inning, doing so with just one hit. The Miners were walked three times, were hit-by-a-pitch and reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt as they hit around to extend the lead to 5-1.
Jay Johnson hit his first home run of the season to lead off the top of the ninth to make the score 5-2. With two outs the Freedom had the bases loaded, with the runner at first representing the tying run, but Justin Pickett grounded out to first against Mike Damchuck (2) who only recorded one out for the save.
Everett Saul (7-3) struck out seven and allowed only two runs through six innings in the loss.
The Freedom (23-25) and Miners (27-22) play game two of their series Saturday night from Rent One Park at 8:05 p.m. Catch the Freedom while they're on the road at Classic Country 106.7 FM WNKR and 1067WNKR.com.
Frontier League Stories from July 17, 2009
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- Gateway Outslugs Lake Erie - Lake Erie Crushers
- Freedom Drop First Game After Break - Florence Y'alls
- Sliders Make it Four in a Row over Rascals - River City Rascals
- Washington Beats Evansville 5-2 - Washington Wild Things
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