New players Braulio Torres-Perez, Shaun Cooper fuel Freedom victory over Gateway


New Players Lift Freedom to Victory Over Gateway
Key series-clinching win catalyzed by Braulio Torres-Perez and Shaun Cooper

Braulio Torres-Perez and Shaun Cooper, two of the newest members of the Florence Freedom, led the Freedom to a 6-2, series-clinching win against Gateway Sunday.

Torres-Perez, Florence’s starting pitcher, tossed the best appearance of his rookie season. In just his second start with the Freedom (35-42), he threw seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just four hits and one walk, while striking out four. Outfielder Shaun Cooper delivered with three of the Freedom’s four RBIs in his 11th game with the team, including a lead-extending, two-RBI double in the eighth inning.

Torres-Perez, Florence’s starting pitcher, tossed the best appearance of his rookie season. In just his second start with the Freedom (35-42), he threw seven innings of one-run ball (Freedom Photo)
Torres-Perez, Florence’s starting pitcher, tossed the best appearance of his rookie season. In just his second start with the Freedom (35-42), he threw seven innings of one-run ball (Freedom Photo)

Both starting pitchers started strong, tossing three scoreless innings. Torres-Perez worked his way out of a two-on with nobody out situation in the second to keep the ballgame scoreless.

Both teams got on the scoreboard in the fourth. Ben Waldrip hit a home run in the top half of the inning before the Freedom plated two without a hit in the bottom half. Gateway starter Corey Kimes walked the bases loaded before Cooper sent a deep sacrifice fly to right, plating Taylor Oldham to tie the score. During Josh Henderson’s at bat, an arid snap throw allowed Andrew Godbold to hustle home and give Florence the lead 2-1.

The Freedom added one more in the fifth on three Gateway errors. Henderson reached on an error and moved to second on a throwing error by the catcher later in the inning. With one away, Travis Weaver recorded the first Freedom’s hit of the ballgame, a single to center, and the centerfielder misplayed it, allowing Henderson to score and extending the lead to 3-1.

Torres-Perez kept the lead in tact by working his way around a jam in the seventh. Zach Lavy led off the inning with a double, before a one-out single from Eric Ferguson put runners on the corners with one away. Torres-Perez escaped with a huge strikeout of Jason Scholl before Daniel Fraga made a nice play on an in between hop to retire Cody Livesay and the Grizzlies.

Cody Gray, normally a starting pitcher, tossed a dominant eighth inning with three strikeouts before the Freedom opened up the game in the bottom of the eighth. Oldham started the rally with a one-out double before consecutive singles from Godbold and Austin Newell (RBI) followed. With two away, Cooper delivered a clutch double, scoring a pair and putting the Freedom ahead 6-1.

The newest member of the Freedom, Evan Bickett, allowed three hits and recorded one out in the ninth before Ethan Gibbons forced consecutive pop outs with the tying run at the plate to earn his 10th save.

Cooper led the offense with two hits and three RBIs. He has eight runs scored and eight RBIs in his first 12 games with the Freedom. Oldham added a double and scored two runs, while Newell (RBI, run), Jordan Brower (run), and Weaver added the other three hits.

Corey Kimes only allowed one hit, but walked six in six innings of work and took the loss. Waldrip added a pair of hits, including his fourth-inning home run for Gateway.

Florence opens up another crucial three-game set on Wednesday against the Normal CornBelters. First pitch of Wednesday’s doubleheader is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. and Jeremy Gooding is the scheduled starter for Florence in game one (6-6, 3.75 ERA). It is also Striking Out Cancer Night.

From Freedom Communications


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