06/14/2007

Casoli gets back on track

Beach Bums beat back the Grizzlies

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Record-Eagle/Tyler Sipe
Traverse City starting pitcher Tony Casoli threw seven strong innings and improved his record to 2-2 as the Beach Bums topped Gateway at Wuerfel Park.

TRAVERSE CITY — Tony Casoli put last Friday's rough start behind him.

Casoli allowed just two runs on seven hits in seven innings of work Wednesday night as the Traverse City Beach Bums opened a six-game Frontier League homestand with a 7-2 win over Gateway.

Casoli was touched for five runs in three innings at Kalamazoo last Friday, a game the Beach Bums won 20-6. He entered Wednesday's game with an 8.55 ERA.

Handed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Casoli made it stand, surrendering only single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

The Beach Bums struck early against Gateway starter Nathan Roush. After Roush retired the first two batters, the Beach Bums put together four consecutive hits.

Singles by Brad Vericker, Curtis Ledbetter and Jeff Vincent produced the first run. Lance Koenig then doubled to drive in two more.

Gateway got on the board in the top of the fourth on Ryan Sullivan's RBI single to make it 3-1. But the Beach Bums responded in the bottom half of the inning with Vericker driving in the run on an infield single.

Gateway scored its last run in the sixth on Mike Breyman's sacrifice fly. The Beach Bums put it away in the bottom of the sixth by scoring three times — on an interference play, a fielder's choice and a single by Justin Holmes.

The win lifted Traverse City's record to 9-12, good for third place in the Central Division. Gateway dropped to 16-5. The Grizzlies lead the West Division.

Vincent led the offensive attack with three hits. The Beach Bums pounded out 14 hits.

Roush was charged with all seven runs in falling to 2-2. He gave up 11 hits in 5&2/3 innings.

The two teams meet again today and Friday at Wuerfel Park. Then River City visits Traverse City for three games, ending on Monday.