Rick Teasley tossed a complete game shutout and Southern Illinois knocked around 15 hits in a 7-0 victory over the Florence Freedom Wednesday.
Teasley limited the Freedom (3-7) to seven hits, while walking two and striking out four.
Florence’s best chance to score came in the second inning. With the game still scoreless, Josh Henderson, Garrett Vail, and Elvin Rodriguez loaded the bases with only one out. Teasley escaped the jam by forcing a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play out of Travis Weaver.
That moment in the game seemed to be the turning point, as Teasley set down the next nine in a row, while the Miners’ offense plated five runs over the next three innings. Extra-base hits keyed the Southern Illinois offense as Francisco Rosario tripled in the second and came around to score on a ground out from Adam Earley.
In the next inning, Julius Gaines hit a two-run home run that hit the top of the left-field foul pole to put Southern Illinois ahead 3-0. After a two-spot in the fifth, the Miners added a pair in the ninth to complete their 7-0 victory.
TJ Bozeman provided a bright spot for the Freedom as he tossed three shutout innings in relief of Florence starter Jeremy Gooding. Bozeman allowed just three hits and a walk, while striking out two. Gooding took the loss, giving up 10 hits and five runs, while striking out five. He still has not walked a batter this season and has struck out 19. Andrew Millner finished off the ninth, but allowed two runs.
Offensively, the Freedom got two-hit performances from Austin Newell and Taylor Oldham. Henderson was the only Freedom runner to reach third base in the game.
Aaron Gates and Gaines both recorded 4-for-4, two-RBI nights to lead the Southern Illinois offense in the victory.
Florence will look to even the series in the finale Thursday. Brandon Bargas (0-0, 1.68 ERA) will take the hill for Florence against Dyllon Nuernberg (0-0, 12.46 ERA) with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
From Freedom Communications