Evansville Sweeps Doubleheader from Florence in Walk-Off Fashion
June 24, 2012 - Frontier League (FL)
Evansville Otters News Release
(EVANSVILLE, Indiana) --- The Evansville Otters swept the Florence Freedom in both games of a doubleheader on Sunday to win their third straight series.
Evansville won the first game 3-1 behind strong pitching from starter Matt Zielinski and rallied back late in the second game for a walk-off 3-2 victory.
In game one, the Otters struck early on Freedom starting pitcher Sean Gregory. Evansville center fielder Matt Sheely led off with a bunt single, advancing to second on a groundout and scoring on a Luis Parache double to left-center field.
Ahead 1-0, the Evansville Otters added another run in the third. Sheely again started the rally with an infield single. Infielder Tyler Black sacrificed him to second, and first baseman Nick Schwaner scored Sheely on a looping single to left field.
The Otters would jump ahead 3-0 only to see Florence rally back for a run in the sixth inning and load up the bases. Facing the possible go-ahead run, closer Eric Massingham induced infielder Pierre LePage to fly out and end the threat.
Evansville would hold on 3-1 for the win in the opening game. Otters starter Matt Zielinski (3-3) threw 5.1 innings, allowing only a sixth inning run. Florence pitcher Sean Gregory (3-3 )threw four innings, surrendering three runs in the defeat. Closer Eric Massingham threw 1.2 innings, earning his seventh save of the season.
Evansville native Adam Champion then started game two for the Otters and held Florence scoreless over the first three innings. In the fourth, Florence would go-ahead on an RBI single by catcher Jim Jacquot and add an unearned run in the fifth for the 2-0 edge.
Down by a pair of runs, Evansville began their comeback in the bottom of the sixth. Black hit a leadoff double down the left field line, and Parache then hit a game-tying two-run home run to the right field corner.
After reliever D.J. Ponder retired Florence in order in the top of the seventh, the Otters put the first two runners on base in the bottom half of the inning. Outfielder Runey Davis started the surge with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error. After an intentional walk, Sheely then drove a deep double to right-center field, scoring Davis and winning the game 3-2.
Ponder records the first win of his professional career in 1.1 hitless innings. Starter Alec Lewis (2-4) takes the loss, allowing three runs in 6.0 innings. Champion gets a no-decision, but held the Freedom in check for 5.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned).
Evansville will now be off on Monday and Tuesday, before starting a three game series at Rockford on Wednesday.
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