06/10/2007

14-run frame is a Frontier League mark

Bums tag K'Zoo for record, then head to Rockford

FROM STAFF REPORTS

TRAVERSE CITY — The most amazing inning of baseball in the 15-year history of the Frontier League began with an out.

But after Traverse City's Zack Kalter grounded out to Kalamazoo second baseman Kyle Kmiecik to lead off the Beach Bums' league-record 14-run seventh inning on Friday night, the host Kings didn't record another out until 11 consecutive batters had reached base — including Kalter, who had a two-run single in his second go-around.

The Bums won the game 20-6 after trailing 5-0.

Saturday night's game between the Beach Bums (6-10) and the Rockford RiverHawks (6-10) ended after press time. Details of the game, along with today's contest at Rockford, will be published in Monday's edition.

The Beach Bums sent 18 batters to the plate in their big inning. Nine reached base on hits, with Curtis Ledbetter (3-run homer) and J.T. Thomas (2-run double) supplying the key blows.

In addition, five batters walked and one was hit by a pitch. All six scored.

Mitch Waters went 1/3 of an inning and was tagged with the loss. Justin Cicatello followed and didn't record an out after facing five batters. Matt Lovelady got the final two outs, but not until he had allowed six hits and seven runs in his Kalamazoo debut, leaving him with an ERA of 94.50.

Five Bums scored two runs apiece in the inning: Ledbetter, Justin Holmes, Brad Vericker, Lance Koenig and Thomas.

Ledbetter was the only player with two hits in the frame. In addition to his three-run homer, he had an RBI single.