The Florence Freedom took a big lead early, but Evansville fought back with an eight-run seventh inning Sunday and completed the sweep with a 12-10 victory.
The Freedom (7-19) put up nine runs in the first four innings, taking their largest lead of the season.
Trailing 1-0 in the first, Daniel Fraga led off the inning with a walk and Austin Newell drove him in with a one-out double to the right-center field gap. With two away, Collins Cuthrell launched his third home run of the year to left and the Freedom took the lead 3-1.
Florence added two more in the second as Newell drove in his second run of the game with a groundout to the right side and then Andrew Godbold added on to the hit parade with a run-scoring single. Leading 5-1 after three innings, the Freedom took their largest lead of the season by plating four runs in the fourth.
Five consecutive hits from Travis Weaver, Fraga, Taylor Oldham, Newell, and Godbold, along with a sacrifice fly from Cuthrell put the Freedom ahead by eight. Through four innings, Florence knocked around 11 hits.
Evansville pulled back to 9-3 in the top of the fifth, which saw an end for Brandon Bargas’ day. The Florence starter bounced back from a couple of tough outings with 4 2/3 innings of three-run ball. He walked three and struck out four, while allowing seven hits.
Pete Levitt came in to get the final out of the fifth and T.J. Bozeman pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, but the wheels came off for the Freedom in the seventh.
Bozeman allowed four hits to lead off the inning, which prompted the Freedom to bring Tony Vocca into the game. Two errors and two hits later, the Otters had the lead by a score of 11-9. In total, Evansville scored eight runs in the inning on six hits, and two Florence errors.
The Freedom took advantage of three Evansville errors to score a run without a hit in the eighth, but the Otters added an insurance run in the ninth off of Brandon Maddern and rode the backend of their bullpen to the sweep.
Godbold finished with three hits for the Freedom, while Newell and Cuthrell both drove in three and Fraga scored a team-high three runs. Maddern was the final Freedom pitcher and allowed two hits and one run in his two innings of work.
Nik Balog led the Evansville offense with four hits and three RBIs, Josh Allen and Christopher Riopedre also chipped in with three hits. The Otters used seven pitchers in the game with Tyler Thompson taking the win. Randy McCurry earned his third save in as many nights.
The Freedom look to bounce back on Tuesday when they travel to Marion, Ill. to face the Southern Illinois Miners. Patrick McGrath (1-2, 8.43 ERA) will take the hill for Florence against Josh Kimborowitz (4-0, 3.09 ERA) with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Central time.
In Saturday’s game, Jeremy Gooding posted another quality start, but Evansville took game two of the series 3-2.
The Florence starter finished his outing with seven innings of two-run ball. He scattered six hits and two walks, while striking out four.
Evansville (18-9) scored the first three runs of the game before the Freedom (7-18) clawed their way back to within one. In the end, the Otters’ bullpen proved to be too much, retiring the final nine Freedom hitters in order.
Evansville got on the scoreboard first, plating single runs in the second and third innings. Julio Rodriguez opened the scoring by tripling to right field and crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly from Kaeo Aliviado. In the third, Kurt Wertz Jr. scored on Josh Allen’s RBI single. Evansville took a three-run lead on an unearned run in the fifth.
Florence started their comeback in the sixth. After signing with the team just a few hours before first pitch, Jordan Brower lined a ball over the right-field fence, pulling his new team within two.
Florence rallied again in the sixth. Daniel Fraga led off the inning with a long at bat, drawing a walk. Austin Newell then extended his hitting streak to 11 with a one-out single to right field. After a Richard Seigel walk loaded the bases, Isaac Wenrich grounded into a fielder’s choice, but an Evansville error assured that everyone was safe. With the tying run at third and just one out, Josh Henderson lined a ball to left field. John Schultz caught the ball and fired home to nab Newell at the plate, ending the inning.
Gooding and Matt Pobereyko kept the game close, but Evansville’s bullpen closed the door.
Fraga and Newell were the only two Freedom players to reach base twice. Andre Mercurio ripped a double in the third for his first extra-base of the year and Brower added his home run in a 1-for-3 performance. A triple from Rodriguez and a double from Rolando Gomez ended up being the key hits for the Otters.
From Freedom Communications