Florence dropped back to back close decisions on Wednesday evening to the Traverse City Beach Bums in a Frontier League doubleheader.
Florence fell 3-2 in the opening game in extra innings and dropped the nightcap, 6-3. Game one was completed using “international” rules—incorrectly—in the ninth inning. Under international rules, once the 11th inning starts, teams put a runner on second base with nobody out. These two games were both scheduled for seven innings, being a scheduled doubleheader.
Under league regulations, international rules should still only be applied in the 11th inning. They were incorrectly applied by the umpires in the ninth and Traverse City pushed across the go-ahead run.
After Traverse City grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top half of the third of game one, Florence got one back in the bottom half. Daniel Fraga led off with a double and then stole third. Fraga came around to score on a Sean Mahley RBI groundout. Florence trailed 2-1 after three.
Florence tied the ballgame in the sixth. Rob Kelly started a two out rally with a walk. Zack Burling pinch ran and stole second. Burling came around to score on a Pair RBI double to tie the game at two after six.
Florence starter Coleman Stephens picked up a no decision, firing seven innings of two-run baseball while fanning five Traverse City batters.
The Beach Bums got their go-ahead run on a Jake Rhoades RBI single. The Freedom were unable to take advantage of the incorrectly applied rules when Steve Carrillo was thrown out at home trying to score on a Pair grounder.
In the second game, after Traverse City grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top half of the second, Florence answered in the bottom half of the frame. Cody Bishop walked to start the rally, and moved to second on a Carrillo single. Bishop came around to score on a Gaby Juarbe RBI double. Florence pulled even with Traverse City 1-1 after two.
Florence took the lead in the fourth. Carrillo singled to start the threat. Rob Kelly then unloaded on a ball over the right field fence, his first home run of the season, giving Florence a 3-1 lead after four.
Traverse City would score three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to come back and sweep the doubleheader. Chuck Weaver (2-1) took the loss for Florence.
The Freedom return to action against the Traverse City Beach Bums on Thursday evening. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
Fans who can’t make the games can listen live to all 96 Freedom games on http://mixlr.com/florencefreedom/.
From Freedom Communications