Freedom Hold on in Opener with Boomers
Published on July 31, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
SCHAUMBURG, Il- In another rematch of the 2017 Frontier League Championship Series, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, came back from two down in the first to steal game one, 4-3, over the Schaumburg Boomers on Tuesday night at Boomers Stadium.
The Boomers (35-32) took a, 2-0, lead off Freedom (34-33) starter, Christian DeLeon (5-3) in the bottom of the first. Reigning Frontier League "Player of the Week", Ty Moore, put the home team on top with an RBI-double, scoring Jack Parenty who singled to start the frame. Collin Ferguson cashed in a Zack Weigel one-bagger ahead of the double, by rolling a run-scoring grounder to Caleb Lopes at second as Schaumburg held the early edge.
Florence would knot the score at two off Boomers hurler, Chris Powell (0-2) with two outs in the top of the fourth. Xavier Turner sparked the offense when he reached on a Kenny Towns error at third, before promptly stealing second and third base a few pitches later. Turner now paces the Freedom with 19 swiped bags in 2018. Graylin Derke worked a walk, setting the table for Keivan Berges. Berges then delivered a lined smash down the left-field line, plating a pair as his team-leading RBI total jumped to 39. Florence would take the lead in their next at-bat in the top of the fifth. After Austin Wobrock led-off with a walk, Harrison White laid down a sacrifice bunt to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Lopes made it count, shooting an RBI-single to center as the Freedom took the, 3-2, lead. A Skyler Ewing single would put runners on the corners, but a wild pitch from Powell allowed Lopes to cross home-plate, giving Florence a two-run lead at, 4-2.
DeLeon would settle in after the two-run first frame, tossing 5.1 scoreless innings on his way to quality start number five of the season. The right-hander scattered seven hits, walked two and punched-out four en route to win number five on the year. On to finish the seventh, southpaw Patrick McGrath got a come-backer from Parenty, and threw to second looking for the inning ending double play. The throw was low, but scooped out of the dirt at short by Wobrock who was not granted the neighborhood call at the base before throwing wildly to first. Everyone was safe on the play, prompting Freedom manager, Dennis Pelfrey to emerge from the dugout to argue the call at second. Thursday starter, Steve Hagen, joined the fray from the dugout, leading to his ejection by base umpire Andy Dudones. When play resumed, McGrath got Josh Gardiner to roll into a double play, preserving the Freedom two-run advantage. McGrath would notch a clean eighth inning, adding a strikeout before giving way to closer, Johnathon Tripp, in the ninth.
Down to their last three outs, Schaumburg saw Dylan Jones poke a lead-off single to right off Tripp, bringing the tying run to the plate. Darrell Miller Jr., then rolled into a fielder's choice, reaching first base as Florence recorded the force out at second. Tipp then fanned Nick Oddo for the second out of the inning, setting-up the play of the game. With Sean Godfrey pinch running for Miller at first, Parenty laced a double that sailed over the head of White in center and rolled towards the wall. Godfrey would score to make it a one-run game, but Parenty was hosed trying to stretch the double into a triple for the final out of the ballgame. Tripp would tally his eighth save of the season in the thrilling finish, as the Freedom hung on to a, 4-3, victory in the series opener.
These two teams will battle it out in a businessman's special at Boomers Stadium on Wednesday. Florence will trot-out right-hander, Jordan Kraus opposite righty Kit Fowler for Schaumburg, with first pitch slated for 11:00 a.m.
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.
Frontier League Stories from July 31, 2018
- Rascals Split Doubleheader with ThunderBolts - River City Rascals
- Freedom Hold on in Opener with Boomers - Florence Y'alls
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- ThunderBolts Split Doubleheader at River City - Windy City ThunderBolts
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