Game Recap

Y’alls Suffer Sweep, Lose Pitchers’ Duel

FLORENCE, KY – The Florence Y’alls (34-50), presented by Towne Properties, saw a lengthy perfect game bid from their starter but still fell 2-0 to the Joliet Slammers (40-44) at Duly Health and Care Field on Sunday, August 20th.

Pitching dominated the day in what became the Y’alls’ shortest game of the season at two hours and one minute of gametime. Neither team scored a run through seven innings as pitching dominated most of the day. Joliet starter Cam Aufderheide (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K) turned in a vintage performance and stifled the Y’alls for most of the day. Florence shortstop Ed Johnson doubled to lead off the third but was stranded on base, and the Y’alls did not advance another runner into scoring position against Aufderheide.

On the other side, Florence rookie starter Carter Spivey (7.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) was sensational into the late innings. The Slammers did not muster a baserunner through Spivey’s first 6.1 perfect innings. In the seventh, Joliet third baseman Christian Fedko’s one-out line drive single into center field broke up Spivey’s historic bid. A double play ended the Joliet half of the seventh, and both teams headed to the eighth in a scoreless tie.

In the bottom of the eighth, Spivey returned to the mound to find immediate trouble. Back-to-back singles off the bats of Joliet designated hitter Tommy Stevenson and catcher Phil Steering placed runners at first and third with no one out. Two batters later, right fielder Broc Mortensen hit a ball to shortstop that Ed Johnson could not secure before throwing over the head of second baseman Tristin Garcia. The error allowed Stevenson to score from third and moved Steering to second base. Ahead 1-0 with two down, Slammers’ shortstop Tyler Depreta-Johnson blooped a single into center field to score Steering and double the Joliet lead.

Suddenly down 2-0 heading into the ninth, Florence attempted to rally with two outs against Joliet lefthander Tyler Jay. After first baseman Harrison DiNicola walked, Jay hit Tristin Garcia with a pitch to put the tying run aboard. With two on, right fielder Jeremiah Burks struck out to end the threat, game, and series.

The Y’alls return home for an off day before beginning a three-game series with the Lake Erie Crushers on Tuesday, August 22nd. Game 1 from Thomas More Stadium is schedule for 6:32 p.m. ET.

The Florence Y’alls are Northern Kentucky’s professional baseball team, and are proud members of the independent Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. With a purposeful focus on entertaining our fans, the Y’alls provide affordable, family-friendly entertainment. Y’alls home games are played at Thomas More Stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, Kentucky. More details can be found online at florenceyalls.com (http://florenceyalls.com/) or by phone at (859) 594-4487.