The Florence Freedom scored a season-high 12 runs in game two to split a twin bill with the Evansville Otters Wednesday.
Austin Newell led the team offensively on the day, knocking around two triples and finishing the night 5-for-7 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Andrew Godbold added four hits, three RBIs, and two runs for Florence (9-25).
Game One: Evansville 6, Florence 3 — The Freedom were hampered by miscues in game one as Evansville took a 6-3 victory.
The Freedom jumped out to an early lead in the second inning. Godbold delivered a one-out double and Garrett Vail singled him home, extending his hitting streak to seven games.
Newell kept the offense rolling in the third as the veteran laced a triple down the right field line. The next batter, Richard Seigel, drove Newell home with a fly ball deep into right field, putting Florence ahead 2-0.
Evansville knocked around three hits in the fourth inning and capitalized on a pair of Freedom errors to take the lead 3-2 after four innings.
Evansville put up another three-spot in the sixth and led 6-2 heading to the seventh and final inning. The Freedom threatened, scoring one in the seventh, but were unable to come back against the Evansville bullpen.
Zach Isler took his fourth loss of the season, allowing all six runs (four earned) and nine hits, while striking out three. Jeremy Hutchison came on to replace Isler in the seventh, but walked the bases loaded with two away. Pete Levitt finished off the inning by forcing a ground out.
Offensively, Godbold led the team with three hits and a run, while Newell and Travis Weaver both had multi-hit games.
Game Two: Florence 12, Evansville 4 — The Freedom scored a season-high 12 runs and Davis Adkins pitched five innings of three-run ball as the Freedom split the doubleheader with a 12-4 victory.
Every Freedom player recorded at least one hit in the ballgame. Newell led the way with three, while Mercurio and Oldham both finished with two.
The Freedom jumped all over Luc Rennie in the bottom of the first. The first five Florence hitters reached base, including RBI hits from Newell, Godbold, and Seigel. Newell added another RBI in the second on a single and the Freedom led 5-0 after two innings.
In the third, Isaac Wenrich delivered the second triple of the day for Florence, bringing home Richard Seigel. Wenrich scored when Mercurio laid down a bunt for a hit later in the inning.
Newell’s triple in the fourth added another run for Florence as he came around on a sacrifice fly from Seigel and the Freedom led 8-0 through four innings.
Partially overshadowed by the offense, Adkins was lights out for his first four innings of work, only allowing two base runners (hit, walk). In the fifth, he gave up a three-run home run to John Schultz, but he earned the win in his first professional start.
Florence answered right back in the bottom half of the fifth as the Freedom’s lead ballooned to 12-3. Six Freedom hitters reached in a row, bringing four runs in and putting the game out of reach.
The Freedom scored in each of the first five innings, accumulating their highest run total of the season. Adkins, Matt Pobereyko, and TJ Bozeman combined to throw seven innings of four-run, eight-hit baseball with no walks and five strikeouts.
Florence looks to take another series from the Otters in the rubber match Thursday. Jeremy Gooding (2-4, 4.57 ERA) will face off against Tyler Vail (1-1, 3.82 ERA) with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Frontier’s League All-Star Event is coming to Florence July 11-13
The 2016 Frontier League Y’All-Star game, presented by Aire Serv, is coming to Florence in just three weeks. The league’s premier event will boast the best players from around the league, two national entertainers, and the biggest fireworks show the Freedom has ever shot-off.
The Y’All-Star week begins on Monday, July 11 when the reigning women’s NPF Softball League champion Chicago Bandits come to town to take on the Florence Freedom in a game of fastpitch softball. National entertainer Christopher the Amazing will be at the ballpark to perform between innings.
Girls softball teams can enjoy a multitude of on-field experiences with the Bandits.
On Tuesday, July 12, UC Health Stadium will host the Frontier League Home Run Derby and Bourbon Fest, presented by Toyota and Verst Group Logistics. The pros will swing for the fences and be paired with a local 12-year-old in the Frontier League’s first Pro-Am Home Run Derby starting at 6:35 p.m.
During the derby, 10 different distilleries will be represented in the Bourbon Fest event from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Prefacing the Frontier League Home Run Derby will be a Business Professional Home Run Derby featuring local business professionals taking swings. Businesses looking to have a member of their staff compete should click the July 12 event link below. Space is limited.
On July 13, the league’s main event takes center stage as the Y’All-Star game is scheduled for a 7:05 p.m first pitch. The event will include entertainment acts by Myron Noodleman and Jake The Diamond Dog, followed by a fireworks show for the ages.
On the field, the best from the Frontier League will square off from in an East vs. West Division showdown. Many scouts will be in attendance at the league’s mid-summer classic, as players are often signed by affiliated clubs in the following days.
Fans can also take part in other events, including playing in the Bill Lee Frontier League Golf Open, attending the Frontier League Y’All-Star Luncheon and Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and joining the teams and league at Dave & Busters for a Monday night mixer.
More information on those events can be found here.
From Freedom Communications