Kings Fall 8-7 In Game 2 To Beach Bums

By Tim Calderwood

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – The Traverse City Beach Bums grabbed sole possession of first place with an 8-7 walkoff win over the Kalamazoo Kings in 12 innings at Wuerfel Park on Saturday night, surviving a five-run Kings rally.

Jeff Brown came through for the Beach Bums in the bottom of the 12th, dropping a base hit into right field off of Kalamazoo closer Brandon Parillo to score Brad Miller and end the contest. Miller singled to start the inning and was sacrificed to second by Damon Lessler.

For the second straight night Kalamazoo scored first. The Kings plated two runs in the top of the second to grab a 2-0 edge against Traverse City starter Bryan Rembisz. Jorge Araiza connected on a bases loaded single through the left side to score both runs.

Mike Epping gave the Beach Bums their first lead with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the fourth. With Jake Whitesides on second after singling and Pat Perry at first following a walk, Epping drove a pitch from Kalamazoo starter Jeff Long over the wall in right for his first homer of the season to give the Beach Bums a 3-2 lead.

Traverse City added to the lead in the fifth as Mike Epping drove in two more runs with a single up the middle. Kyle Maunus followed with a double down the line in left to plate two and make it a 7-2 advantage, but Kalamazoo battled back against the Beach Bums bullpen.

Bryan Rembisz worked seven innings and allowed only two runs on five hits while striking out five, leaving with the lead. The Kings plated four runs in the eighth inning and added the tying run in the ninth on a Chad Rothford double off of Jared Locke.

Mike Epping finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBI to earn Beach Bums Player of the Game honors. Jake Whitesides finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Mike Goetz also added three hits in his five at bats as Traverse City finished with 12 hits.