Florence Freedom scored two runs in the eighth to take the lead and five more in the ninth to run away with an 11-4 victory over the River City Rascals (12-10) Tuesday night.
Most of the game was a back-and-forth battle between the two squads. The Rascals took a 2-0 lead by tallying two runs in the second inning. The inning started with a Freedom error. Taylor Ard and Josh Ludy both contributed RBI singles in the frame for River City.
But Florence rallied with three runs in the fourth. Sam Eberle got things started with a double. Austin Newell singled him to third. Newell stole second and Gaby Juarbe singled home Eberle. Newell later scored on a wild pitch. Juarbe would come around on a Rob Kelly RBI double.
Florence added an insurance run in the sixth on a Cody Bishop sacrifice fly.
But the Rascals came back to tie the game against Chuck Weaver with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Weaver ended up going five and two thirds innings, allowing 11 hits, four runs, two of which were earned; he walked one and struck out six in a no-decision. It was a Curran Redal RBI double that tied it for the Rascals.
The score remained tied at four until the eighth. Eberle got things rolling again; this time with a single. Then Newell ripped a ball down the first base line that snuck under the glove of Danny Canela for an error. Eberle scored and Newell went all the way to third. A Juarbe single brought home Newell to put Florence up 6-4.
Things unraveled for the Rascals in the ninth as the Freedom put up a five-spot. Travis Weaver singled to start the frame. An error on the play by the Saxon Butler in right field allowed him advance to third. Sean Mahley and Daniel Fraga drew back to back walks to load the bases. Eberle singled home two runs to extend the lead to 8-4. Newell followed with a two-RBI single of his own and Juarbe added a sacrifice fly.
Eberle, Newell and Juarbe combined for eight hits and seven RBI in the game.
The 11 runs scored by the Freedom is their highest total so far in 2015 and the win marks the first time the Freedom have won back-to-back games since they opened the season on a four-game winning streak.
Florence will try to win their first road series of 2015 Wednesday night as Coleman Stephens (2-2, 4.18 ERA) takes the hill against River City. First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. eastern time. Fans can tune in at http://mixlr.com/florencefreedom/.
From Freedom Communications