The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, followed a similar script for the second night in a row, riding a solid start and a big inning to an 11-3 win over the Lake Erie Crushers.
Jeremy Gooding tossed seven innings, allowing just one run and four hits, while striking out five. The Freedom (14-26) posted a seven-spot in the seventh inning to break the game open.
The Freedom found the scoreboard against Justin Sinibaldi just two batters into the game. Daniel Fraga ripped a double to right field and then Taylor Oldham followed with an RBI single up the middle. With two away, Collins Cuthrell grounded a ball back up the box for a base hit, plating Oldham and putting the Freedom ahead 2-0 after one.
After Lake Erie (17-22) scored one in the second, Josh Henderson scored twice in the next three innings to give Florence a 4-1 advantage.
Henderson drew a one-out walk in the fourth and Jordan Brower followed with his first double of the year. The next batter, Garrett Vail, plated Henderson on a sacrifice fly. Henderson then singled to leadoff the sixth, moved to third on a single from Brower, and scored when Travis Weaver laid down a bunt single.
The Freedom offense send 12 to the plate in the seventh, including four hits and four walks. Oldham led off the inning with a blast to left, his sixth home run of the year.
Oldham has six RBIs in two games during this series. Henderson and Newell combined to plate three on singles later in the inning and, when all was said and done, the Freedom led 11-1.
The Crushers scored two runs off of the Florence bullpen, but the Freedom cruised to an 11-3 win.
Newell and Brower both led the team with three hits, while Oldham drove in three for the second consecutive game. Henderson scored a team-high three runs. All nine Freedom players reached base tonight, while eight recorded hits, seven finished with at least one RBI, and seven crossed the plate.
Tanner Kiest saw his first appearance, tossing an inning with three strikeouts, but he allowed three hits and one run. Ethan Gibbons allowed a home run to Marquis Riley, but struck out three as well.
The Freedom pitching staff followed up their 12-strikeout performance Tuesday with 11 strikeouts Wednesday.
Defensively, the middle infielders for the Freedom both started outstanding double plays. With a runner moving in the fourth, Fraga fielded a ball up the middle, stepped on the second-base bag, and fired a strike to first for a double play.
In the sixth, Weaver dove up the middle to snag a sharp ground ball, tossed to Fraga from his stomach, and Brower dug the ball off the turf to finish the inning-ending double play.
Sinibaldi took the loss, allowing three runs in five innings. The Crushers’ eight hits were spread evenly among eight different players.
The Freedom go for the sweep today. Stetson Nelson (1-3, 5.33 ERA) will take the hill for Florence against Mike Devine (5-1, 2.94 ERA) with first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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The Florence Freedom are members of the 12-team professional Independent Frontier League and play a 96 game schedule, with 48 home games at UC Health Stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence.
Florence Freedom