The Florence Freedom scored six runs in the first three innings Sunday and never trailed in a 10-5 win over the Lake Erie Crushers.
Andrew Godbold started the scoring by hitting his 10th home run of the year off of former Freedom pitcher Stetson Nelson in the bottom of the first. The Freedom added another run in the second on a Garrett Vail double, but did their real damage in the third, piling on four more runs in taking a 6-0 lead. After an RBI single from Austin Newell, Collins Cuthrell launched a three-run home run to left field.
All six early runs for the Freedom came with two outs.
Lake Erie plated their first two in the fourth inning when Brendan Constantino singled home a run and another crossed the plate on an error.
The Crushers rallied again in the fifth, adding three runs on four hits against Florence starter Braulio Torres-Perez. Torres-Perez finished 4 2/3 innings in his first start as a member of the Freedom, giving up nine hits and five runs (four earned), while walking one and striking out four. Now in a 6-5 game, Pete Levitt ended the threat by forcing Richard Seigel to ground out to first base.
In the seventh, the Freedom extended their lead on a four-error play by the Lake Erie defense. With two men on, Cuthrell bounced a ball to third base. Four errors later, Cuthrell slid safely into home, circling the bases without the ball leaving the infield. When all was said and done the Freedom led 9-5.
One more error in the eighth brought home the final run for the Freedom and the Florence bullpen tossed 4 1/3 shutout innings in the 10-5 victory.
Taylor Oldham, Godbold, Newell, and Vail all finished with two hits to lead the Florence offense, but Cuthrell’s home run proved to be the big hit of the ballgame. Levitt, Davis Adkins, TJ Bozeman, and Ethan Gibbons combined to allow just two hits and two walks, while striking out six out of the Freedom bullpen.
Connor Oliver, Robb Paller, and Constanstino all had multi-hit games for Lake Erie, while Nelson took the loss against his former team.
The Freedom begin a quick road series against the River City Rascals with a doubleheader on Wednesday. Jeremy Gooding (5-6, 4.05 ERA) and Tony Vocca (1-1, 4.23 ERA) are the scheduled starters for the Freedom.
From Freedom Communications