Florence had every opportunity to advance to the third round of the American Legion Senior State Tournament Friday when they took on Tuscaloosa Post 34.

But in the end, Florence would leave runners stranded in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, and go three up and three down in the ninth to fall to Post 34 3-2.

Florence would collect one run in the third and one in the sixth, while Tuscaloosa would score all three of their runs in the fifth. But neither team would produce a single run in seventh, eighth or ninth innings.

Brandon Freeman would lead Tuscaloosa, as he went nine innings on the hill giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits with 8K’s and three walks.

While Florence would waist a number of opportunities to take control of this one, Tuscaloosa would come up short in the eighth inning when they collected two hits and a walk to load the bases with no outs, and still walked away with nothing to show for it.

Stephen Barnett started off the inning with a single, while David Robertson followed with a single of his own to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Michael Livingston then reached first on a Florence fielding error. Clayton Booth then came to the plate with no outs and bases loaded, and Tuscaloosa calls for the old hit and run.

The hitting wasn’t hard, but he running cost them.

Booth singled, but Florence played heads up baseball and was not only able to get the force out at home plate, but got both Robertson and Livingston caught in a run down to get the final two outs of the inning to end the threat.

Tuscaloosa will have to be a little more careful today when they take on Dothan in the third round.