FL Florence Y'alls

Freedom Drop Heartbreaker to Otters

Published on August 19, 2016 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release


Freedom Drop Heartbreaker to Otters
Freedom Drop Heartbreaker to Otters
(Florence Y'alls)

Florence, Ky. - The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, dropped a heartbreaking 11-inning game to the Evansville Otters 5-4.

With the score tied at three heading to the 11th inning, the International Tiebreak Rule was put into play. Javier Marticorena scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the inning and the Freedom (37-45) led by one. With two men on in Evansville's (46-35) half of the inning, John Schultz laid a bunt down the third-base line. Ethan Gibbons fielded it and his off-balance throw skipped past Daniel Fraga at first. The error allowed two runs to score and sent the Otters to the victory.

Evansville got on the scoreboard first against Florence starter Tony Vocca. Rolando Gomez led off the opening inning with a walk before Chris Breen singled Gomez home. Those were two of only three base runners that Vocca allowed over his first six innings of work.

The Freedom knotted the score in the fifth inning when consecutive singles from Travis Weaver and Andre Mercurio put a pair on base. After a double steal, Fraga lifted a deep fly ball to left, scoring Weaver.

Fraga once again sparked the Florence offense in the seventh. Garrett Vail walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. With two away, Fraga singled through the right side, sending Vail home and giving the Freedom their first lead at 2-1.

Evansville answered right back to tie the score at two in the seventh. It looked like Florence would end the inning with the score still tied, but an error by Weaver gave Evansville a 3-2 lead.

Collins Cuthrell made sure the lead didn't last for long as he launched a game-tying solo homer to leadoff the eighth. The score remained that way until the 11th.

Vocca finished another solid start, but did not factor into the decision. He set a career-high in innings with 6 2/3, while tying his career high with seven strikeouts (4 H, 2 BB, 3 R, 2 ER). The Florence bullpen didn't allow a hit or an earned run, but Gibbons took the loss.

Offensively, six different players accounted for the Freedom's six hits. Cuthrell's home run was Florence's only extra-base hit of the game. The Freedom stranded the bases loaded twice and left a total of 10 men on base.

Florence pitching held the Otters to just four hits, while walking five and striking out nine.

The Freedom look to even the series with Evansville tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. with Florence's Braulio Torres-Perez (1-0, 3.75 ERA) facing off against Shane Weedman (5-3, 3.84 ERA).

To keep up with all the latest Florence Freedom news and to learn about exclusive deals and contests, make sure to like the team on Facebook and follow the team on Twitter.

The Florence Freedom are members of the 12-team professional Independent Frontier League and play a 96 game schedule, with 48 home games at UC Health Stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, Kentucky. In 2015, the Frontier League recognized the Freedom as the league's organization of the year and awarded the team with the league's All-Star event. The 2016 season will mark the 13th year the Freedom have played in Florence.

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Freedom Drop Heartbreaker to Otters
Freedom Drop Heartbreaker to Otters
   



Frontier League Stories from August 19, 2016


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