BEACH BUMS FALL TO OTTERS IN SERIES OPENER

6/8/2010 - EVANSVILLE, IN –- The Traverse City Beach Bums battled back from an early deficit, but were unable to climb the entire way back as the Evansville Otters took game one of the series against the Beach Bums 14-6.

The game did not start well for the Beach Bums as a Brandon Cohen RBI double and a two-run homer by Jake Rogers got Evansville out early in the first with a 4-0 lead.

Traverse City got on the board in the third inning when three straight singled through the middle from Brandon Howard, Andrew Marshall and Jason Codiroli produced a run to cut the lead to 4-1. For Marshall, the hit was the first of his professional career.

Evansville tried to put the game away with a five-run fourth inning as they sent ten men to the plate, scoring five times to go up 9-1.

The Beach Bums would kick start their offense in the fifth as Brandon Howard reached being hit by a pitch. After a groundout, an error allowed Jason Codiroli to reach. An infield single by Kyle Eveland loaded the bases. Michael Diaz promptly unloaded them with a double, kicking up chalk down the rightfield line, cutting the lead to 9-4. The attack continued in the sixth as with CJ Ziegler on second, Brandon Howard doubled high off the fence in right center to bring home Ziegler making it 9-5. Evansville would get the run back in the bottom of the inning on a Brandon Cohen
homerun to make it 10-5.

TC battled back again in the top of the seventh as Jason Codiroli led off the inning with a triple into the gap in right-center. The next batter, Kyle Eveland grounded out to shortstop, bringing home Codiroli to make it 10-6. Evansville put the game away for good in the seventh and eighth on homeruns by Cohen and Vinnie Scarduzio to go up 14-6.

Jason Roenicke (1-1) pitched the first six innings in getting the win for Evansville. Enrique Lechuga (1-2) took the loss for Traverse City. Offensively, Jason Codiroli had a pair of hits, drove in a run and scored two.

The Beach Bums continue their series at Evansville on Wednesday with Ryan Platt (1-0, 3.14) on the mound for Traverse City against Eduardo Perez (2-1, 3.26) for the Otters. All 96 Beach Bums games, home and road, can be
heard on Sunny Country 101.9 FM. Wednesday’s pregame will begin at 7:15 PM in front of a 7:35 first pitch. For more information or tickets, call 231-943-0100 or visit tcbeachbums.com.