July 9 Florence Freedom Doubleheader Game Notes
Published on July 9, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
DOUBLEHEADER: FLORENCE FREEDOM (20-26) vs. EVANSVILLE OTTERS (29-17)
Thursday, July 9, 2015 - 5:35 p.m. ET
UC Health Stadium - Florence, KY
Games #47 & #48 - Home Games #29 & #30 (20-26), (12-16)
RHP #31 Casey Henn (3-6, 3.35 ERA) vs. RHP #34 Will Oliver (5-2, 1.69 ERA)
RHP #33 Tony Vocca (2-0, 2.01 ERA) vs. RHP #19 Preston Olson (5-2, 3.57 ERA)
Last time out...
The Evansville Otters used a four-run fifth inning to knock off the Freedom by a score of 4-2 in a seven inning game on Wednesday night. The game was originally scheduled as a doubleheader but a two-hour, 24-minute rain delay caused the Freedom to decide to only play one game last night and to re-schedule the doubleheader for Thursday. Florence took a 2-0 lead in the first on a Collins Cuthrell two-run home run. The rain game with two outs in the third and Florence brought it Jason Postill to replace starter Jeremy Gooding when the game resumed. Postill cruised until the fifth when Evansville got a lead-off double from Nik Balog. One out later Kurt Wertz Jr. doubled him home. After Postill got out number two, Florence replaced him with Pete Levitt. Levitt struggled, walking the first batter he faced. Then he gave up a RBI single to John Schultz. Josh Allen walked and Dane Phillips delivered the eventual game-winning hit, singling in two runs.
For Starters Game One...
Casey Henn has not allowed an earned run in his last two starts. He shut down Rockford on July 1 in a 10-1 victory, allowing one unearned over seven innings while striking out eight batters. In his previous start against Washington, Henn threw the second no-hitter in franchise history (Preston Vancil, 2009). Henn was one of the top pitchers in the entire Frontier League in 2014. He led the Freedom with nine wins and tallied a team-leading 111 strike outs, good for fourth in the league. His 2.72 ERA in 2014 was tied for the sixth lowest in the league while his 122.2 innings pitched was good for the third most in the league. Some of his notable outings included seven innings of one-run ball against Lake Erie on June 4, seven innings of shutout ball against Windy City on June 11, seven innings of shutout ball against River City on June 29, seven and a third innings of shutout ball against Lake Erie on July 18, seven innings out shutout ball against Normal on August 9, seven innings of one-run ball against Joliet on August 15 and seven and two thirds innings of shutout ball against Windy City on August 21. Henn had a sensational rookie season for the Freedom, posting a 5-0 record with a 3.67 ERA for Florence fresh out of Wright State University. In nine appearances, eight starts, Henn struck out 38 batters in 49 innings while only allowing only 39 hits.
For Starters Game Two...
Tony Vocca makes his fourth start of the season tonight and his 17th overall appearance. He is coming off four innings of shutout ball against River City on July 4 in a no-decision as the Freedom lost 3-1. Vocca faced Evansville out of the bullpen back on May 24, giving up one run on one hit in 0.2 innings. A native of Cottonwood, Arizona, USA, Vocca played his college ball first at Yavapai College, then the University of Utah and later for Minnesota State University-Mankato. He posted a 12-8 record and 5.21 ERA over the course of his four-year college career, also tallying 125 strikeouts in 140 innings pitched. In 2013, after his college days were over, Vocca pitched for the Prescott Montezuma Federals of the Freedom Pro Baseball League, a four-team independent league based out of Arizona. Vocca spent this past winter pitching for the Adelaide Bite of the Australian Baseball League.
Hey now, you're an All-Star!
Gaby Juarbe will start at catcher for the East Division in the Frontier League All-Star Game on July 15 in Schaumburg. INF Daniel Fraga and INF Sam Eberle were also voted onto the team by the league's General Managers, Field Managers, Coaches, Broadcasters and local media. East Division manager Dan Rohn selected Freedom hitting coach AJ Cicconi to join the All-Star coaching staff.
Run this way...
The Freedom's 84 stolen bases this season are the most in the Frontier League. However they have also been caught stealing 30 times, the most in the league as well.
Glovework...
The Freedom have the best fielding percentage in the league at .983.
Transaction Wire...
The Freedom placed INF Travis Weaver on the 7-Day DL and activated OF Zack Burling.
Tonight's Special Jersey Number...
Zac Mitchell will wear #61 in game 1. The jersey benefits the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky.
Frontier League Stories from July 9, 2015
- Otters Split Doubleheader Against Freedom 4-2, 2-3 - Evansville Otters
- Aviators Drop Series Finale to Grizzlies, 9-5 - Rockford Aviators
- Ackerman Pitches Well in Slammers Loss - Joliet Slammers
- ThunderBolts Lose Ninth-Inning Lead in 5-4 Loss to Washington - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Beach Bums Win 3-2 in 12-Innings - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Washington Wins 5-4 in Come-From-Behind Fashion - Washington Wild Things
- Freedom Clarify Umpiring Situation from July 8 - Florence Y'alls
- July 9 Florence Freedom Doubleheader Game Notes - Florence Y'alls
- Aviators Add 2 More to All-Star Team - Rockford Aviators
- Evansville Otters Preview - Evansville Otters
- Normal CornBelters Game Tonight - Normal CornBelters
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