wcthunderbolts.com

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – In a game that featured 23 runs, 28 hits and four lead changes, the Traverse City Beach Bums scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to defeat the ThunderBolts 12-11 at Wuerfel Park Saturday night.

The ThunderBolts (44-38) got off to a hot start, scoring two runs in the first inning. Kyle Wood hit an RBI double and Tim Zier hit an RBI single. Another Wood double scored a run in the second to make it 3-0.

Nick Murphy hit a two-run homer for Traverse City (32-48) in the second to tighten things but Corey Bass immediately responded with a solo shot in the third.

The Beach Bums fought back and took the lead with an Orlando Rivera homer in the third and RBI doubles from Rivera and Steven Patterson in the fifth.

Coco Johnson’ RBI single tied the score at five, but the Beach Bums broke the tie and pulled away with a five-run sixth. Murphy and Luke Lowery hit RBI doubles and Rivera hit an RBI single to pull away, making the score 10-5.

The Bolts weren’t done responding. Their first seven hitters reached base in the seventh. Keenyn Walker and Johnson each had two RBIs and Larry Balkwill tied the score with a double. Zier’s sacrifice fly put the Bolts back in front 12-11.

Not to be outdone, Traverse City tied the score on Rivera’s fourth hit and fourth RBI, a double in the eighth. He scored the winning run on a Patterson single.

Devin Over (4-2) stopped the bleeding for the Beach Bums with a scoreless eighth and earned the win. Josh Glick (4-1) gave up the tying and winning runs and took the loss. Joel Toribio tossed a perfect ninth for his first career save.

The Bolts will try to win the series in the finale on Sunday. Zac Westcott (6-4, 5.03) gets the start against Traverse City’s Brian Bayliss (2-4, 4.65). First pitch from Wuerfel Park is scheduled for 4:05 and the broadcast can be heard on WXAV, 88.3 FM and wxav.com.

Box Score