Freedom Win in Dramatic Fashion over Grizzlies
July 31, 2014 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
(Florence, KY) Chance Ross hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to score Adam Taylor and the Florence Freedom (26-37) came from behind to defeat the Gateway Grizzlies (38-27) by a final score of 3-2 Thursday night.
With the win the Freedom snap their six-game losing streak and earn their second victory in extra innings this season.
The drama started in the ninth inning as the Freedom trailed 2-1 entering the inning. With one out Buddy Sosnoskie singled to left to chase Gateway starter Tyler Thompson from the game. Sam Eberle drew a walk against new pitcher Chris DeBoo (4-1). With two on and one out, Jacob Tanis came up huge with a RBI single to left to score Sosnoskie and tie the game at two. Tanis hustled to second on the play, giving the Freedom runners at second and third and one out. But after Rob Kelly was intentionally walked, Doug Joyce lined into a double play to end the inning.
There was no need to worry though as reliever Ed Kohout (2-2) tossed a scoreless top of the 10th and Adam Taylor drew a lead-off walk in the bottom half of the frame. He proceeded to steal second and advance to third on a Zak Blair sacrifice bunt. After the Grizzlies intentionally walked Cole Miles, Ross stepped to the plate and hit a liner to shallow center. Taylor tagged up on the play and challenged the arm of center fielder Madison Beaird. Beaird's throw to the plate was high and the Freedom celebrated their walk-off win.
Gateway got on the board first in the game as Freedom starter Chuck Weaver walked the bases loaded in the first with nobody out. A Landon Hernandez RBI grounder made it 1-0 in favor of the Grizzlies. Weaver struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
Hernandez struck again in the fifth as he lined an opposite field home run to extend the Gateway lead to 2-0. Hernandez has four home runs and eight RBI through the first two games of the series.
Florence finally got on the board against Thompson in the sixth as Zak Blair got things started with a double. He would advance to third on a Miles grounder and Ross drove him in with his first sacrifice fly of the game.
Thompson was in command for Gateway, striking out 12 batters through eight and a third innings before Sosnoskie's single in the ninth. Meanwhile Weaver battled through six innings for the Freedom, striking out seven while walking six. Jorge Marban struck out the side in the seventh and Pete Levitt pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings, setting up the dramatic comeback victory.
The Freedom and Grizzlies will do battle in the rubber match of the three-game series Friday night at 6:35 p.m. Eastern Time as LHP Michael O'Neal (1-2, 5.40 ERA) takes the hill for Florence.
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