Freedom Land Sweep of Grizzlies
May 30, 2019 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
SAUGET, Il - Looking to break out the brooms for the first time on the young 2019 season, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, did not disappoint in a pair of, 4-1, and, 3-2, victories over the Gateway Grizzlies on Thursday night, sweeping the doubleheader and the three game set this week at GCS Credit Union Ballpark.
Stalemated in a scoreless affair in the top of the fifth of game one, Grizzlies (8-10) starting southpaw, Jordan Barrett (1-2) proceeded to load the bases, surrendering a walk to Luis Pintor and a single to Caleb Lopes before beaning Ricky Ramirez Jr. with a curve-ball. The lefty began to work his way out of it, fanning a pair of Freedom (11-6) hitters to bring up Taylor Bryant. Bryant would give the visitors a lift, however, launching a grand slam to left to push Florence ahead, 4-0. The round-tripper was the first of the year for Bryant, and upped his RBI total to 7 on the season.
Freedom hurler Tyler Gibson would come back out to start the bottom of the fifth, but was yanked after allowing an RBI-single to Andrew Daniel that made the score, 4-1, with two outs. Lefty, Karl Craigie (2-1) took over from there, recording the final out after a walk to line himself up for the win in relief. Gibson finished his day having secured a strong outing, spanning 4.2 innings while allowing just one run on five hits with no walks and four whiffs. After Craigie mowed through the sixth, Johnathon Tripp toed the slab in bottom of the seventh, converting his third save of the season with a 1-2-3 frame to put the, 4-1, Freedom win in the books.
Game two was another well pitched affair, Florence again taking the first lead of the game with a two-run top of the fourth. Pintor started the rally, working a walk and stealing second before reaching third on a one-bagger from Ricky Ramirez Jr. Connor Crane made it, 1-0, visitors next, tapping a fielders choice to short that scored Pintor and saw Crane reach first. A wild pitch allowed Crane to move into scoring position, and Austin Wobrock continued his hot-hitting with an RBI-single up the gut, doubling the Freedom lead at, 2-0.
Scott Sebald (1-0) was masterful over five shut-out innings to start the night, but watched the Grizzlies tie the score on one Daniel swing of the bat in the bottom of the sixth. After Brent Sakurai singled, Daniel turned on a big-fly to left, capping a three RBI day with a two-run shot that deadlocked the score at 2. Sebald would not allow another run over his final two and a third frames, ending his night securing a quality start that featured 7.1 innings pitched, four scattered hits that led to two runs with one walk and five strikeouts.
With Gateway closer, Grant Black (0-1) on the bump in the top of the eighth, Mike Gulino worked a lead-off walk, but Jackson Pritchard replaced him at first as a pinch-runner. Pritchard would then steal second, a huge swing for the Freedom as the go-ahead run reached scoring position for three-hole hitter, Caleb Lopes. Lopes came through in the clutch, roping a two-out single to left that plated Pritchard before Lopes was tagged out in a rundown between first and second. With the knock, the Freedom were again in front, this time at, 3-2.
After Sebald recorded the first out in the eighth, Brian McKenna took the rubber with his sights on his second save of the series. The right-hander delievered, coaxing Sakurai into a ground-out to second before he fanned Daniel to preserve the, 3-2, victory and the series sweep for the Freedom. With the extra inning win in game two, Florence improves to 3-0 in free baseball affairs in 2019.
Florence will be back in action of Friday night at home in the comfy confines of UC Health Stadium where they will square off with the Evansville Otters. Right-hander, Frank Valentino will take the ball for Florence, opposite righty, Tyler Beardsley of Evansville with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. in Florence, Ky.
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 May 30, 2019
- Rascals Drop Finale in Extras - River City Rascals
- Freedom Land Sweep of Grizzlies - Florence Y'alls
- Calabrese Goes Deep Twice in Otters Series Win against Wild Things - Evansville Otters
- Grizzlies Swept in Doubleheader, Series - Gateway Grizzlies
- Back-And-Forth Finale Goes to Otters as Wild Things Fall - Washington Wild Things
- Ledet's Impressive Start Not Enough - Lake Erie Crushers
- Oliver's Blast Sends Boomers to Road Series Win - Schaumburg Boomers
- Boomers Autism Awareness Night Set for June 6 - Schaumburg Boomers
- Otters Fall Behind Early, Lose to Wild Things 13-7 - Evansville Otters
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