The Florence Freedom split a pair of key games against the Normal CornBelters Wednesday, winning game one 13-3 before dropping game two 6-2.
Game One: Florence 13, Normal 3
The Freedom (36-44) started their crucial series against the CornBelters (41-38) with an emphatic 13-3 win in game one.
Florence hit for the cycle in the fifth inning, breaking the game open with 10 runs. The frame included a three-run home run from Collins Cuthrell, a two-RBI triple from Taylor Oldham, a run scoring double from Josh Henderson, and three singles. Jeremy Gooding continued his dominance in seven-inning games, extending his scoreless streak to 19 2/3 innings before Normal found the scoreboard in the sixth.
The Freedom opened the scoring in the first inning. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with nobody out. Fraga scored on a wild pitch and the Freedom led 1-0 after one.
Gooding allowed four hits in his first two innings, but was able to work around the threats. In the second, the CornBelters put runners on the corners with one out, but Gooding forced former Freedom player Elvin Rodriguez to bounce into an inning-ending double play. Florence’s starter allowed a runner to reach scoring position in four of his first five innings, but stranded them all.
Andrew Godbold added another run for Florence by launching his team-leading 12th home run to lead off the fourth.
The Freedom padded their lead with a huge fifth. Garrett Vail singled to lead off the inning and then Travis Weaver walked after a long at bat. After both moved into scoring position on a passed ball, Fraga lined a ball sharply up the middle that tipped off the glove of the second baseman and dribbled just beyond the second base bag. Vail easily scored on the play and Weaver came to the plate as well, sliding around the tag to score another run.
After Oldham walked, Michael Schweiss’ afternoon was over, but the Freedom’s scoring continued. Godbold plated Fraga from third on a sacrifice fly and, after a walk to Austin Newell, Cuthrell drove his 11th homer of the season to left, putting the Freedom ahead 8-0. After Shaun Cooper was hit by a pitch, Henderson followed with a run-scoring double. Weaver scored Henderson with a single in his second at bat of the inning before Fraga walked and the two middle infielders both scored on Oldham’s two-RBI triple. The Freedom hit for the cycle, sent 14 to the plate, and scored 10 runs in the inning that ended with Florence leading 12-0.
After a long break, Gooding allowed his first run in almost 20 innings in the sixth. Normal plated three in the inning as Gooding finished his 5 2/3-inning outing with nine hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Evan Bickett made his second appearance for the Freedom and walked the first batter he faced before inducing an inning-ending groundout as Florence cruised to a 13-3 victory.
The Freedom showed off a balanced attack in the ballgame as all nine players scored at least one run and recorded at least hit, while seven drove in runs. Cuthrell’s home run plated three, while Fraga, Oldham, and Godbold all drove in a pair.
Dylan Kelly led the CornBelters offense with a 3-for-3 day, including a double, a run, and an RBI. Michael Schweiss took the loss, allowing six runs in four innings.
Game Two: Normal 6, Florence 3
The CornBelters jumped ahead early and hung on for a 6-3 win in game two.
Normal took a 6-0 lead through just two innings. Cody Gray settled down after that, sitting down the next 11 that he faced. Gray finished five innings, allowing six runs (four earned), while walking five and striking out three.
Isaac Wenrich put the Freedom on the board in the third, crushing his seventh home run of the year.
Wenrich’s homer was the only hit for the Freedom until the sixth. The newest addition, Javier Marticorena, and Fraga both singled to lead off the frame. Normal starter Chris Carmain hit Oldham with a pitch, which loaded the bases and ended his outing. Godbold walked against Francisco Carillo to bring in one run. In a 6-2 game, Newell came to the plate as the tying run, but grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Fraga scored on the play to cut the deficit to three, but the next batter, Cuthrell, flew out to end the inning.
The Freedom loaded the bases on walks in the seventh and brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but Brannan Smith earned his sixth save by forcing Oldham to ground sharply into a fielder’s choice.
Tony Vocca and Zach Wendorf both pitched scoreless innings in relief, while Wenrich, Fraga, and Marticorena recorded Florence’s three hits.
Kelly had two RBIs for Normal, while Santiago Churino and Aaron Dudley both knocked around run-scoring doubles in the second inning. Carmain took the win with five innings of three-run ball.
Florence and Normal play a rubber match Thursday. Jordan Kraus (5-8, 3.45 ERA) will take on Horatio Acosta (7-3, 3.65 ERA) in a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.
From Freedom Communications