FL Florence Y'alls

July 9 Florence Freedom Double Header Game Notes

Published on July 9, 2014 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release


DOUBLE HEADER: FLORENCE FREEDOM (20-23) vs. FRONTIER GREYS (11-34)

Wednesday, July 9, - 5:35 p.m. ET

UC Health Stadium - Florence, KY

Games #44 & #45 - Home Games #27 & #28 (20-23), (15-11)

Game One: RHP #23 Chuck Weaver (4-1, 1.20 ERA) vs. RHP #21 Keith Picht (1-4, 5.55 ERA)

Game Two: LHP #30 Dave Middendorf (2-4, 4.47 ERA) vs. LHP #12 Eric Perrault (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Last time out...

The Florence Freedom scored six runs in the seventh inning to run away from the Washington Wild Things by a final score of 12-3 Sunday night at UC Health Stadium. The Freedom's 12 runs were the most runs they've scored in one game this season and their 13 hits matched their season high in that category. Every player in the Freedom's lineup had a hit or a RBI. The game featured two inside-the-park home runs, one by Washington and one by Florence. Florence scored at least one run in each of the first four innings, capped off by a two-run home run off the bat of Rob Kelly in the fourth. The game would remain close until the seventh when the Freedom exploded for six runs to take command. The big blow of the inning was a three-run home run off the bat of Joe Staley. Michael Wilson added an inside-the-park home run in the eighth and Peter Gehle picked up the win, going 6.2 innings.

For Starters Game One...

2014 Frontier League All-Star Chuck Weaver makes his eighth start of the year tonight. He has the best ERA in the Frontier League at 1.20 and has only walked five batters in 44.2 innings. In his most recent start on July 3, Weaver went seven shutout innings against the Gateway Grizzlies to pick up the victory. He has faced the Frontier Greys one time this season on June 20 and went five and two thirds innings, giving up four runs, but only two were earned, in a no-decision. Weaver was signed by the Freedom in June 2013 after he finished up his collegiate career at IPFW. He had a solid rookie season, posting a 4-2 record with a 3.70 ERA in 14 appearances, 12 starts. The Ft. Wayne, Ind. native started 13 games as a senior for the Mastadons, posting a 2-5 with a 3.57 ERA. Weaver threw two complete games as a senior and pitched 70.2 innings. He played two years for IPFW after transferring from Vincennes University where he was named to the NJCAA All-Academic team.

For Starters Game Two...

Dave Middendorf has lost three consecutive starts and is making his tenth start of the season tonight. He gave up a season-high 11 hits in four and a third innings last time out against the Gateway Grizzlies on July 2 in a 9-2 loss for the Freedom. The Freedom acquired Middendorf in a trade from the Lake Erie Crushers on March 12, 2014. He was one of the top pitchers in the entire Frontier League in 2013, going 12-7 with a 2.60 ERA in 21 games, 19 starts for the Crushers. He was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 22nd Round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Northern Kentucky University. Middendorf was originally selected by the Yankees in the 44th round one year earlier, but went back to school instead. He pitched two years in the Royals' minor league system, reaching as high as Idaho Falls (Pioneer League). He went 3-4 with a 6.28 ERA over those two seasons with three saves. He made 39 appearances, all in a relief role and struck out 52 while walking 19 over 67.1 innings of work. Middendorf was named an NCAA Division II first-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association after posting a 9-3 record with a 1.73 earned run average. His 127 strikeouts in 2011 set a new single-season record at NKU and were good for second among all Division II pitchers. He also set a career mark for strikeouts with 349 over his four years with the Norse. His 25 career wins rank third all-time at NKU and his 2.53 career ERA is fourth. Along with the All-Americans honors, Middendorf was named the Great Valley Conference and Midwest Region pitcher of the year.

Hey now, you're an All-Star!

Outfielder Cole Miles, catcher Joe Staley and RHP Chuck Weaver were named Frontier League All-Stars on Monday. Miles and Staley will start for the east division in the July 16 game in Sauget, IL.

Transaction Wire...

The Freedom signed INF Chance Ross today.

Tonight's Special Jersey Numbers...

Adam Taylor is wearing #61 for game one tonight. Zak Blair is wearing the jersey for game two. The jerseys will be auctioned off after the games to benefit the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky.

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