June 20 Florence Freedom Game Notes & Updated Roster
Published on June 20, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
FLORENCE FREEDOM (12-19) vs. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MINERS (20-11)
Saturday, June 20, 2015 - 6:05 p.m. ET
UC Health Stadium - Florence, KY
Game #32 - Home Game #20 (12-19), (8-11)
Florence: RHP #37 Cody Gray (Pro Debut)
Southern Illinois: RHP #21 Jon Klein (Pro Debut)
Last Time Out...
Florence lost 9-3 to Southern on Friday. Trailing 3-0 heading to the bottom half of the third inning, Florence got two back. Travis Weaver led off with a single. Justin Harris was hit by a pitch and Sam Eberle walked to load the bases. After Cody Bishop struck out, Collins Cuthrell delivered for the Freedom, singling home Harris and Weaver. The score was 3-2 in the Miners' favor after three innings. Florence tied the game in the sixth inning. Cuthrell laced one over the left field fence for his first professional home run. Freedom starter Chuck Weaver went five innings allowing three runs while fanning two. Jacob Ezell and Pete Levitt were effective out of the bullpen for Florence. Ezell pitched a scoreless sixth inning while striking out one. Levitt tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Seth Harvey (1-1) gave up six runs in his two innings on the bump to pick up his first loss of the season.
For Starters...
Cody Gray makes his professional debut tonight. A product of NAIA school Northwood University, Gray went 8-3 in 12 starts in 2015, finishing with an ERA of 1.69. Impressively, Gray struck out 101 batters in 85 innings. In 2014 Gray appeared in seven games, picking up five wins. Also struck out 37 batters in 42.2 innings as a starter. Named a Pre-season All-American pitcher.
Series Trouble...
If the Freedom lose tonight it would be their fifth straight series loss at home. Florence won their first two series of the season at home but have not won one since. After starting 5-1 at home, the Freedom have dropped 10 of their last 13 games at UC Health Stadium.
Pitching problems...
The Freedom's team ERA is the highest in the Frontier League at 5.19. They have given up a league high 304 hits and opponents are hitting a league high .288 against the Freedom. Part of the problem is that Freedom pitching is allowing the opposition to hit .333 with five home runs with runners in scoring position and two outs.
Mr. Clutch...
Austin Newell is hitting a ridiculous .464 in 28 at bats with runners in scoring position. He is hitting .545 in 11 at bats with runners in scoring position and two outs. The Freedom as a team has recorded a .244 batting average with runners in scoring position, close to their overall team batting average of .249.
Frontier League Player of the Week...
Austin Newell was named the Frontier League Player of the Week for June 7-14. Newell hit safely for the entire week with the Freedom and recorded a multi-hit game in all but one of his team's six games. The hitting streak is Newell's second of at least six games already this season. He also had a six game hitting streak from May 23-29. Overall, he totaled 15 hits in 26 at bats over the course of the week, including one home run, three doubles, six RBI and 10 runs scored. Newell is in his 5th season of professional baseball and his first with Florence. The 26 year-old outfielder originally hails from Arlington, TX and played collegiately at the University of Texas-Tyler.
Walk it out...
The Freedom have drawn 123 walks this year, that's the most in the Frontier League.
Run this way...
The Freedom's 61 stolen bases this season are the most in the Frontier League. However, they have been caught 22 times, also the most in the league.
Transaction Wire...
The Freedom released INF Ashly Morris and signed RHP Cody Gray today.
Tonight's Special Jersey Number...
Daniel Fraga is wearing #61 tonight. The jersey is auctioned off each game to benefit the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky.
Frontier League Stories from June 20, 2015
- Grizzlies Hang on to Win Third Straight - Gateway Grizzlies
- ThunderBolts Fall Short in 9-8 Loss at Gateway - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Schultz, Two Complete Games Lead Otters to Doubleheader Split - Evansville Otters
- Slammers Win in Ran Shortened Game - Joliet Slammers
- Crushers fall to Cornbelters in well-pitched 3-1 loss - Lake Erie Crushers
- Freedom Rally to Beat Miners - Florence Y'alls
- CornBelters Use Big 6th to Beat Crushers - Normal CornBelters
- Miners Can't Hold Lead, Drop Game Two in Florence - Southern Illinois Miners
- Greys and Wild Things Postponed Due to Inclement Weather - Washington Wild Things
- June 20 Florence Freedom Game Notes & Updated Roster - Florence Y'alls
- Evansville Otters Doubleheader Preview - Evansville Otters
- Rascals Collective Pitching Leads to Win - River City Rascals
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