The Florence Freedom’s offense exploded for 15 runs and 17 hits in a 15-10 victory over the River City Rascals Thursday.
The rout was on early as Florence took a 7-0 lead after just two innings. In the first, Josh Henderson and Andrew Godbold started the rally with singles. Austin Newell reached on an error that brought Henderson home and then Cuthrell bounced to short, plating Godbold.
Shaun Cooper reached on a two-out walk and came home with Newell on a double by Jordan Brower.
In the second, Daniel Fraga got the rally going with a single before Godbold left the building quickly on a line drive to left. His 11th home run of the year put Florence (33-42) ahead 6-0. Cooper singled home the seventh run, scoring Newell on a liner to left-center field.
In the third, Brower walked to lead off the inning and moved to third on a one-out single from Travis Weaver. Fraga reached on an error, scoring Brower from third and setting the stage for Henderson. He launched a home run to right, scoring three runs and putting the Freedom ahead 11-0.
The Rascals (35-39) added one in the bottom of the third, but the Freedom answered with an RBI single from Isaac Wenrich in the top of the fourth and led 12-1.
Gray ran into some trouble in the seventh and the Freedom needed three pitchers to escape the inning, but Davis Adkins stranded the bases loaded to keep the Freedom at arms length.
Now in a 12-4 ballgame, Florence answered in the eighth. Wenrich extended the lead back to 11 with a towering three-run home run.
River City rallied for six runs in the ninth, but it was not enough to overcome the Freedom’s early offense.
Florence showed off a balanced attack today. All nine batters chipped in with at least one hit, one run, or an RBI. Henderson, Godbold, and Wenrich led the team with three hits and a home run each, while Wenrich drove in a team-high four.
Gray took the win, allowing four runs in 6 1/3 innings, while Pete Levitt and Adkins saw time out of the Freedom bullpen.
Robby Enslen and Alexi Colon both homered for River City, while Tim Koons took the loss, giving up seven runs in two innings.
The Freedom begin a series with the Gateway Grizzlies tomorrow at UC Health Stadium. Jordan Kraus (4-8, 3.31 ERA) will take the hill for Florence against Vince Molesky (4-6, 3.30 ERA) in the 7:05 p.m. start. For more information on the upcoming promotions, click here.
From Freedom Communications