Traverse City Record-Eagle

Archive: Thursday

July 26, 2012

Bums rout Windy City to capture the opener

Still, Heere drive in seven runs in 15-8 triumph

From staff reports ----

CRESTWOOD, Ill. — The Traverse City Beach Bums erupted for 11 runs in the middle three innings Wednesday night to beat Windy City 15-8 in a Frontier League game.

Ryan Still and Brian Heere carried the big sticks. Still collected four hits and four RBIs, Heere two hits and three RBIs. The Beach Bums had 17 hits in the game.

Leading 8-5, Traverse City broke it open with a five-run sixth inning.

Sean Gusrang was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to start the scoring. Two runs came in when the ThunderBolts misplayed Travis Higgs' fielder's choice. Heere then doubled in a run while Ryan Still knocked in his fourth with a single.

Earlier, Heere hit a two-run homer in the fourth, followed by a Still solo homer — his first of the season. Kyle Colligan tacked on an RBI single in the four-run frame.

Colligan added a seventh-inning solo homer.

Scott Dunn pitched six innings, giving up five runs on seven hits to gain the win. Matt Miller hurled two scoreless innings of relief. Mike Devine gave up three runs in one inning.

RIPPED UP: The London Rippers franchise — which was in the same division as the Beach Bums — ceased operations.

Most of the players from the Rippers will form a new league-run team called the Road Warriors. The Beach Bums gain a home series against the Warriors on July 29-30, with a doubleheader on July 29, starting at 5 p.m., and a 7 p.m. game on July 30 to kick off what will now be an extended nine-game homestand.

The Rippers were last in the 14-team Frontier League in attendance, with only 846 fans a game. Traverse City leads the league with an average of 3,548 in paid attendance per game.

BUMS ADD ANOTHER ARM: The team signed right-handed pitcher Mike Devine on Wednesday.

The Beach Bums placed starter Reid Kelly on the 7-day injured list, retroative to July 22, and announced the retirement of reliever Sam Brown. TC signed pitcher Maxx Catapano on Tuesday.

Devine had 15 saves over the last three seasons of a four-year career at Virginia Military Institute, where he ended up second all-time at VMI in appearances (90) and saves. The 6-0, 215-pounder struck out 139 in 144.2 career innings.

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