Late Home Run Dooms Freedom in Series Opener
Published on July 17, 2018 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
FLORENCE, Ky - In the opener of a mid-week tilt between two teams who have won their last four series, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, were outlasted by the Traverse City Beach Bums, 5-4, on Tuesday night at UC Health Stadium.
Locked in a, 3-3, tie in the top of the ninth, the Freedom (27-27) handed the ball to closer Johnathon Tripp (3-1). After retiring the first two men he faced, Tripp surrendered a single to Luke Lowery that took a wicked hop off the mound and died in the turf near short for an infield hit. The next man to the plate, Connor Oliver, made it a two-run game, taking a Tripp fastball way out to right-center, his first home run of the season gave the Bums (27-27) a, 5-3, lead.
Florence would not go quietly, as they were able to mount a rally against Traverse City closer, John Michael Knighton. Ricky Ramirez Jr. doubled on the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth, and Keivan Berges singled to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Jacob Wark then delivered a sacrifice fly to make it a one-run game, but the Freedom would fall short, recording back-to-back fly-outs on the way to a, 5-4, loss. Knighton converted his ninth save of the season.
The Freedom took the first lead of the night, 1-0, in the bottom of the second. In his first game back in the lineup, Xavier Turner led-off the frame with an infield single. One pitch later, Ramirez Jr. split the gap in right-center, plating Turner and giving the home team the one run lead.
Traverse City responded in a big way in their subsequent at-bat, scoring three runs with two outs en route to a, 3-1, lead. Noah McGowan got the inning started with a single, and a successful sacrifice bunt pushed him into scoring position for Isaac Benard. The right-fielder worked the count full before lacing a single to center that tied the game. With Benard on first, Will Kengor launched his ninth home run of the season, a towering drive to right-center as the Bums moved in front by a pair.
In the bottom of the third, the Freedom again pulled within one thanks to back-to-back doubles from Caleb Lopes and Jordan Brower. Brower now has 29 RBI in 2018, second-most on the team behind Berges (31).
It took a few more innings to solve Murphy, but finally in the sixth, the heart of the order for Florence was able to even the score. Three straight singles from Brower, Skyler Ewing, and Turner loaded the bases for Berges, who knotted the game at three runs apiece with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right field. Murphy was able to work himself out of the jam without allowing any more runs, as the score stood, 3-3, going into the seventh.
Murphy gave way to the bullpen in the seventh inning, as Kenneth Knudsen (3-1) came on for the next couple of frames. Murphy tossed six innings and allowed three runs on 10 hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
Chuck Weaver continued his quality start through the seventh inning, before giving way to power righty Jake Haberer in the eighth. It was the third quality start of the season for Weaver, who completed seven innings and limited the visitors to three runs on six hits with no free passes and five whiffs.
It will be a morning match-up in the middle game of the series on Wednesday between Florence and Traverse City. Cody Gray will get the start for the Freedom as they look to even the series, while Luke DeVenney takes the ball as the Bums eye their fifth straight series victory. First pitch is scheduled for 10:35 AM at UC Health Stadium.
The Florence Freedom are members of the Independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Wayin Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at florencefreedom.com, or by phone at (859) 594-4487.
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