Freedom Fall Short to Southern Illinois
Published on July 14, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
FLORENCE, Ky - Looking for their fourth series victory in a row, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, could not overcome an early seven-run deficit as they dropped the middle game of the series, 12-9, to the Southern Illinois Miners on Saturday night at UC Health Stadium.
Southern Illinois (25-24) got off to a red-hot start against Freedom (26-26) starter Steve Hagen (6-4). Kurt Wertz Jr. led off the game by hitting his third home run of the year and two batters later, after Kyle Davis reached on a throwing error, Chance Shepard launched his fifteenth round-tripper of the campaign, giving the Miners an early, 3-0, edge.
The Freedom responded quickly against Steven Ridings (1-1), as newcomer Harrison White notched his first extra base hit with Florence to set the table for Jordan Brower. Brower responded by knocking a double deep to left, scoring White to tally his twenty seventh RBI in 2018 and make the score, 3-1.
The high-scoring affair continued in the second inning, when Florence was able to cut into the lead again behind timely hitting from Keivan Berges, Jacob Wark, and Graylin Derke. Berges singled and went first-to-third on a Wark double down the right field line. Derke then drove a sacrifice fly to left, pulling Florence within one at, 3-2.
The Miners expanded on their lead in the third, manufacturing four runs on the strength of five straight base knocks with one out. Joe Dudek doubled to right to start things off before Harrison Bragg came up with a double of his own to score Dudek and make it a two-run game. Nolan Earley, Ben Moore, and Marc Dileo all plated runs the same way, singling into the outfield and forcing throws home that were too late to nail the runners. All three advanced to second on the throw, and the Miners saw their lead balloon to, 7-2, when the smoke cleared in the frame. Hagen was pulled in favor of Tyler Gibson after 2.1 innings, having been tagged for seven runs on 10 hits to go along with a walk and a strikeout.
The onslaught continued from the visitors in the fifth, as they were able to push across two more runs and take a, 9-2, lead courtesy of a Joe Duncan triple. With Bragg and Nolan Earley aboard after reaching on a double and catchers interference, respectiely, Duncan split the gap in right-center and motored his way to third, allowing both runners to score easily.
Florence chipped away at the deficit in their half of the inning, as Brower notched his second RBI of the night after a lead-off double from Austin Wobrock, shooting a single to right to make it a six-run game. One batter later, Skyler Ewing, drove a slider deep to left, a two-run shot that marked his fifth home run of the season and brought the Freedom within four at, 9-5. Ewing joins four other Freedom players for the team-lead with his five round-trippers.
Continuing to rally in the bottom of the seventh, Florence loaded the bases with two outs against Ridings. A single from Wark, a double from Wobrock, and a walk to White spelled the end of the day for the Southern Illinois starter, as Michael Starcevich emerged from the bullpen to record the final out. Caleb Lopes proceeded to greet the incoming hurler with a bases-clearing double to left as the Freedom pulled within one at, 9-8.
Ridings was charged with eight runs on 10 hits, and he struck out five batters while issuing one walk en route to his first Miners victory of the season.
Sam Martin took over on the mound for the Freedom in the top of the seventh, but faced only four batters. Earley doubled to start the frame and Ben Moore was hit by a pitch before Marc DiLeo and Duncan both hit into a fielder's choice. Martin gave way to Patrick McGrath with two outs, but McGrath gave up a ground-rule double to the pinch hitter Romeo Cortina that scored DiLeo and pushed the Miners back in front by two, 10-8. With runners on second and third, Freedom manager Dennis Pelfrey called on Jake Haberer to finish the job, and he did so, coaxing Shephard in to fly-out to center to end the inning.
In his longest outing of the year, Haberer spanned 2.2 innings before handing the ball to Brian McKenna in the top of the ninth with two men on and two outs. After walking the first batter he faced to load the bases, Shephard ripped a double down the third base line, plating two as the Southern Illinois advantage blossomed to four. Shepard finished the night with a team-high four runs batted in, in the high scroring middle game of the series.
Leading, 12-8, in the bottom of the ninth, the Miners handed the ball to Kyle Tinius to collect the final three-outs. After Ewing singled and Ricky Ramirez Jr. walked, both advanced one base on a wild pitch, putting runners at second and third with one out. Berges then chopped a grounder to short to score Ewing, but Florence would stop there, as Wark struck out to end the game.
In total between the two teams, the three hour and thirty-three minute affair included 21 runs on 31 hits, with three errors and 12 pitchers used. With the win, Southern Illinois snapped a six-game losing streak, one shy of the franchise record.
The Freedom will set their sights on a fourth consecutive series victory in the finale with Southern Illinois on Sunday at UC Health Stadium. Florence will trot-out right-hander Jordan Kraus to counter rigthy Kurt Heyer of the Miners with first pitch slated for 6:05 p.m. in Florence.
The Florence Freedom are members of the Independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at florencefreedom.com, or by phone at (859) 594-4487.
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