NKyTribune staff
The Florence Freedom scored four times in the top of the eighth inning to rally from a 5-4 deficit and went on to post an 8-5 win over the Gateway Grizzlies on Friday night at GCS Ballpark.
A run-scoring double by Keivan Berges tied the score at 5-all, and Andre Mercurio followed with an RBI single to give the Freedom a 6-5 lead. Xavier Turner then stepped to the plate and smashed a two-run homer that extended Florence’s advantage to 8-5.
Jacob Wark added a three-run triple for the Freedom, while Berges, Mercurio and Turner all scored twice. Johnathon Tripp pitched three scoreless innings of relief to notch the victory for Florence. Tripp also recorded five strikeouts.
The two teams play again Saturday night in the second of the four-game series at GCS Ballpark.