Spivey's Gem Propels Y'alls to Series Win
August 3, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
EVANSVILLE, IL - The Florence Y'alls (28-41), presented by Towne Properties, used a stellar start from their rookie righthander to scrape past the Evansville Otters (37-31) by a score of 4-3 in a series-clinching victory on Thursday, August 3rd.
Much like the rest of the series, pitching dominated Game 3 between Florence and Evansville. Neither team scored through three innings before Florence got on the board first in the top of the fourth against Otters' starter Zach Smith (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K). Center fielder Ray Zuberer hit a high-hopping double down the right field line to lead off the inning, then moved to third on a passed ball. With one out, first baseman Harrison DiNicola grounded out to shortstop to bring Zuberer home. After four innings, the Y'alls led 1-0.
The 1-0 score would hold through seven innings behind Florence rookie righthander Carter Spivey (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K), who dazzled in his third career professional start. Spivey's seven innings marked a new career high and marked his most in any game, professional or otherwise, since he pitched seven innings for East Carolina University on April 15th, 2023 against the University of Cincinnati. From the third through the seventh inning, Spivey allowed just a single baserunner and faced the minimum number of batters.
In the eighth, Florence extended its lead with a three-run outburst. Ray Zuberer walked to start the inning ahead of catcher Zade Richardson, who singled Zuberer to third on a hit-and-run. Evansville righthander John Beymer then hit Harrison DiNicola with a pitch to load the bases. After a flyout, shortstop Ed Johnson came to the plate and hit a shallow single to left center that drove in Zuberer. Second baseman Jeremiah Burks followed up the hit with a knock of his own, driving in two with a single. The Y'alls exited the inning leading 4-0 and would ultimately need all the extra insurance.
In the ninth, Y'alls lefthander Alex Theis ran into difficulty. A leadoff hit-by-pitch and a one-out walk to first baseman Dakota Phillips brought up third baseman Jomar Reyes, who hit a three-run home run to dead center field to cut into the Florence lead. Theis then placed the tying run aboard with a second hit-by-pitch, but struck out the final two batters of the game to end the jam and earn the Y'alls a series win.
Florence's series win is its first since a 2-1 series win at New Jersey in late July. Florence returns home Thursday night ahead of a weekend series with the Windy City Thunderbolts. First pitch for Game 1 between the Y'alls and Thunderbolts is scheduled for Friday, August 4th at 7:03 p.m. ET.
Frontier League Stories from August 3, 2023
- Otters Fall in Series Finale to Y'alls - Evansville Otters
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- Crushers Swept in Seventh Straight Loss - Lake Erie Crushers
- Tri-City Drops Series Finale to Empire State - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Spivey's Gem Propels Y'alls to Series Win - Florence Y'alls
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- Boomers Sprint to Series Win - Schaumburg Boomers
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