The Florence Y’alls (33-50 overall) faced a Schaumburg (Illinois) Boomers squad battling three other teams for the two Frontier League West Division wild card playoff spots behind the division-leading Washington (Pennsylvania) Wild Things.
Florence could not earn a win any of the three games at Thomas More Stadium. This marks the seventh time teams have swept the Y’alls this year in three or four-game series including the last two home series.
“(The Boomers) are bringing it every day and I don’t think we brought the same energy to match them,” said Brian White, Florence manager. “It was a tight game (Saturday). We had the lead, gave it up and (Schaumburg) took off.”
Schaumburg took out Florence, 5-0 on Friday. Florence committed three errors to one for the Boomers leading to two unearned Boomer runs.
Jonaiker Villalobos (5-7) pitched five innings taking the loss. Cas Silber and Karl Craigie pitched two innings each. The three combined to strike out five and walk four.
Schaumburg outhit Florence, 12-6. Shortstop Alberti Chavez led the Y’alls going 2 for 4. Designated hitter Ray Zuberer added a double.
Florence then lost a shoot-out, 15-12 on Saturday. The Y’alls led 7-3 after three and 8-6 after five. But the Boomers exploded for four runs in each of the next two innings and did not relinquish the lead.
The Y’alls had five errors to one for the Boomers. Schaumburg scored four unearned runs to two for Florence.
Edgar Martinez started for Florence pitching four innings striking out three and walked three. Darrien Williams (0-1), Cameron Pferrer, Evy Ruibal and Joe Dougherty. The relievers struck out three and walked five.
Both teams had 16 hits. Right fielder Rodney Tennie went 3 for 3 with four runs batted in and two runs scored. Designated Hitter Brennan Price had three hits including a double. Second baseman/center fielder Luis Pintor had two doubles and scored three times with third baseman Craig Massey, shortstop Alberti Chavez and catcher Luke Harper had two hits each.
Schaumburg completed the sweep with a 9-2 win Sunday. The Y’alls scored first in the bottom of the first when second baseman Ethan Stern drew a hit by pitch with the bases loaded scoring Massey. But over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, the Boomers built an 8-1 lead and never looked back.
Florence starter Jeremy Ovalle (0-6) pitched five innings. Craigie, Kent Klyman and Dougherty pitched in relief. The four pitchers combined to strike out nine and walk nine.
Schaumburg outhit Florence, 14-5. Price went 2 for 3 to lead the Y’alls with a double and run scored. Pintor and Tennie added doubles.
Florence travels to Gateway to start a two-game series Wednesday. The first game starts 7:45 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
