This story has been updated to reflect a change in message from the Florence Freedom.
The Florence Freedom sentout a memo to clarify and correct an error made by the team’s media department during the rain delay and completion of Wednesday night’s game against the Evansville Otters.
As clarified later by the Frontier League, the umpire switch that happened after a lengthy delay was necessary due to one umpire being out of range of the stadium to make it back in a timely fashion. The Freedom “commend the Frontier League on their ability to adapt to the changing weather conditions surrounding Wednesday’s game, as otherwise the team would have lost a game for the season”, according to a news release.
Reports of an umpire quitting due to the change from a suspension of play, to just a delay, were not true.
The Freedom (20-26) fell to the Evansville Otters (29-17) by a score of 4-2 at UC Health Stadium on Wednesday. The Otters used a four run fifth inning to defeat the Freedom in a seven-inning game that saw a two hour and twenty-four minute rain delay.
With the Freedom up 2-0 in the top of the third, rain began to fall heavily at UC Health Stadium. The game was delayed. Both umpires returned to the clubhouse and decided to call the game. However, the Freedom had a doubleheader scheduledtonight with a single game to conclude the three-game series on Thursday. So calling the game meant calling the doubleheader. Florence is not scheduled to play Evansville again this season so at least getting in one of the games was important.
The umpires initially refused to resume the game, declaring it suspended and that a doubleheader would be played on Thursday. However, the Frontier League stepped in and overruled the umpires. One of the umpires, Brandon Cooper, was already on his way home to Louisville, so instead of returning to umpire the remainder of the game, he quit, is how the original report went. The team’s clarification now explains what apparently really happened.
Florence was able to call upon Dave Blanchet and he finished the game umpiring in the field with Jeremy Stangelo returning to call balls and strikes.
Florence made the decision to just finish tonight’s seven-inning game and play a doubleheader on Thursday to complete the series.
Meanwhile, Evansville trailed 2-0, thanks to a Collins Cuthrell two-run homer in the first.
The Otters sent nine men to the plate in the top of the fifth. Kurt Wertz Jr. doubled in Nik Balog to make it 2-1. John Schultz singled to plate Wertz Jr. and tie the game at two. Dane Phillips singled in Cory Urquhart and Schultz to give Evansville a 4-2 lead.
Freedom starter Jeremy Gooding pitched two and two thirds innings of scoreless baseball before the rain delay. The Michigan native did not factor in the decision.
The Florence bullpen sent three men to hill. Jason Postill allowed two runs in his two innings on the bump. Pete Levitt (1-2) gave up two runs before getting the final out of the fifth. Seth Harvey tossed two scoreless frames and struck out two.
Due to the odd circumstances on Wednesday, all ticket holders for the game will have their tickets honored for a future game. All ticket holders can redeem their tickets for a ticket of equal or lesser value to a future Sunday-Wednesday Freedom game. To redeem tickets visit the Florence Freedom box office during normal business hours.
The Freedom return to action on Thursday evening against the Otters with a doubleheader on tap. First pitch is set for 5:35 p.m. Get your tickets here to watch the Freedom in action all season.
-Staff report
