Great pitching, fielding, and timely hitting adds up to victory.
Published on July 25, 2008 under Northern League (NL)
Schaumburg Flyers News Release
Schaumburg, IL - Friday night's game had a bit of an old-school feel for the Schaumburg Flyers and the Kansas City T-Bones. The two teams not only played in special uniforms for Negro League Legend Night, they stood tied at 1-1 through five innings. It felt like a big hit would swing the game in one team's favor, and the Flyers got it off the bat of catcher Lance Koenig (1-for-3, 2 RBI). His two-run home run in the sixth gave the home team the lead for good, as Schaumburg won by a final of 5-2.
The Flyers were the ones to score first, and they got a bit of help from Kansas City (32-30) to make it happen. T-Bones starter Anthony Boughner (5-4) fired three straight walks with one out in the bottom of the second to load the bases and set up a scoring threat. Schaumburg (22-41) shortstop Mark Haske (1-for-4, RBI) made Boughner pay to the tune of a run on a groundout to first base. After the end of the half-inning, the Flyers led 1-0.
Kansas City offered a quick response in the third. With one out in the inning, T-Bones SS Geoff McCallum (2-for-2, RBI) sent a solo homer over the left-field wall to tie the game at one apiece. It was McCallum's second homer of the year, and second against the Flyers . . . but it would not rattle starting pitcher Justin Jordan (1-0) very much.
Jordan was fantastic in his first Northern League start, pitching a full seven innings while allowing only four hits and one run. The right-hander also struck out four men in his outing. After the early run against him, Kansas City's Boughner settled down through the middle innings as well.
He wasn't settled enough to avoid a crucial mistake. After a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth by Flyers 1B Chris Gaskin (2-for-3, RBI), Lance Koenig stood in and took a middle-in fastball off the scoreboard in left-center to put the home team up 3-1. A single immediately followed Koenig's blast from 2B Wilson Matos (2-for-3, Run), who ended up on second base after a passed ball and a walk. That gave LF Jermaine Allensworth (2-for-5) the chance to chop a ball up the middle that allowed Matos to score and make the score 4-1. In the bottom of the seventh, Gaskin came through again with an RBI single that scored DH Calvin Pickering (1-for-4, Run) to make it 5-1.
Kansas City put up a lone run in the ninth against Flyers reliever John Smith after a passed ball, but it wouldn't be enough to win it. Schaumburg pitching held the T-Bones to six hits on the night, and also limited damage with three 5-4-3 double plays turned in the game. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak for the Flyers, who had been winless on their six-game homestand coming into Friday's game.
If once is good, twice is nice, and Schaumburg will try to make it two in a row against Kansas City tomorrow. The Flyers are slated to send RHP Steve Shippey (2-6, 7.62) to the mound against T-Bones hurler Kenny Durost (4-4, 3.86). Fireworks and a post-game band presented by Bud Light await the fans at Alexian Field on Saturday for a 6:20 p.m. start. Tickets are still available at the Alexian Field box office, but if you can't make it out to the ballpark feel free to listen in on flyersbaseball.com.
The Schaumburg Flyers are a member of the Northern League, a 6-team Independent Professional Baseball League established in 1993. Opening Day is May 15th, 2008. For ticket information call (847) 891-BALL (2255) or visit www.flyersbaseball.com
Northern League Stories from July 25, 2008
- Great pitching, fielding, and timely hitting adds up to victory. - Schaumburg Flyers
- Hammers see winning streak snapped in loss - Joliet JackHammers
- RailCats Ride Forystek to 4-0 Win Over Winnipeg, Snap Losing Streak - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- RedHawks win slugfest - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Offense Stifled by New Flyers Hurler - Kansas City Monarchs
- JackHammers Announce Roster Additions for the - Joliet JackHammers
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