The Florence Y’alls entered week four of their season riding a high. They were the sole leaders of the Frontier League West Division and second baseman Harrison DiNicola was coming off a 15-hit week that secured him Frontier League Player of the Week.
But the Y’alls bubble was soon popped when they welcomed the Washington Wild Things to town.
For just second time this season, the Y’alls dropped two straight on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Wild Things.
In the series opener, the fifth inning proved lethal for the Y'alls. With two outs tallied, the Wild Things would parade eight consecutive batters to the bases.
Washington recorded nine runs before the final out, digging the Y'alls a hole too deep to climb out of.
“We gave up that big inning with two outs so they outplayed us a little bit,” Y'alls Field Manager Brian White told the Enquirer. “We had some bad defensive miscues those first two games really so it kind of hurt us and we had some base running issues.”
On Wednesday, the Y’alls lost 5-1.
The Y’alls tallied six hits compared to Washington’s seven, yet couldn’t seem to bring those batters home like they needed to.
“Game two, just couldn’t get the job done,” White said. “We responded well that third game.”
In the series finale on Thursday though, the Y’alls changed the narrative.
Florence came in swinging, tallying five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Washington kept up the pace until Y'alls pitcher Alex Wagner came in during the fifth inning. The Wild Things did not score another run with Wagner on the mound.
“From the offensive side it was a good team effort,” White said. “On the pitching side, Wagner really was the guy that came in and reset that tone for us and he got us our of the little funk that we were in.”
The Y'alls ended their series with Washington with a 14-8 win.
Y'alls enter weekend series against Quebec, dodging rain delays
The Y’alls continue their homestand by welcoming the Quebec Capitales this weekend. The teams started their series on Friday night, before delaying it at the top of the fifth inning due to weather.
At the time the Y’alls led 10-2.
“We are hoping to get back into our normal routine again after the funk that we were in but I think we’re on the right track right now,” White said of where the team stands now.
The decision to halt the game was made at the umpires' discretion. The Y’alls were to pick up the Quebec game Saturday afternoon. Their previously scheduled game will follow and will have seven innings, instead of nine.
“It’s baseball, you can’t really predict any of this stuff it just kind of happens,” White said of the surprise double-header. “Luckily we have a good group of guys in the clubhouse who just love playing baseball so whatever the circumstances are, wherever we’re at or whatever the weather is they’re wanting to play. We have the right attitude in the clubhouse so there’s not a whole lot to panic about or anything.”
The Y'alls will close the series against Quebec on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Source link
