Gray Leads Freedom to Convincing Victory
Published on July 7, 2016 under Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
Florence, Ky. - The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, rode Cody Gray and late offense to a 7-1 victory over the Southern Illinois Miners.
Gray finished his seven-inning outing allowing just one run and six hits, while striking out four and walking two. The Freedom (18-30) scored all seven runs in their final four innings at the plate.
The Miners (32-16) got on the board early. Two hits and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning. However, Gray was able to induce a 6-4-3 double play and a strikeout to only allow one run in the frame.
The Florence starter settled down from there, only allowing multiple base runners in one of his final six innings on the mound.
Florence got on the board for Gray in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game. Travis Weaver led off the inning with a double before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt from Daniel Fraga. Taylor Oldham came up next and drilled a ball to deep center, scoring Weaver on a sacrifice fly.
In the next inning, the Florence defense took center stage. With one out and one on, Weaver ranged up the middle and shoveled to Daniel Fraga who received the ball on a bare hand and fired to first, turning an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.
A two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth gave Florence the lead. Josh Henderson grounded a ball down to the left side deep enough in the hole to reach on an infield single. Garrett Vail then doubled to the wall in right center, scoring Henderson and giving the Freedom a 2-1 advantage.
As Gray continued the dominate, the Freedom broke the game open with three runs in the seventh. Florence loaded the bases against Southern Illinois starter Rick Teasley (6 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 1 K) and all three came around to score later in the inning. Austin Newell laced a single through the right side for two of the runs, while Andrew Godbold knocked in the third on a sacrifice fly.
After a scoreless eighth from TJ Bozeman, the Freedom added two more in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double from Fraga and a single from Oldham. Ethan Gibbons allowed just one hit in the ninth as he shut the door.
Weaver led the Florence offense with three runs scored and a pair of doubles. Newell and Henderson also notched two hits. Eight of the nine Freedom players recorded hits in the ballgame and all nine chipped in with at least a hit, RBI, or run scored.
Teasley took the loss, while Aaron Gates had a hit and scored the only Miners run.
The Freedom wrap up the pre-All-Star Game portion of the schedule in Normal against the CornBelters. The three-game set will begin on Friday, July 8 with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. Davis Adkins (3-2, 2.90 ERA) will toe the rubber for Florence against Max Homick (4-3, 3.08 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.
Frontier League Stories from July 7, 2016
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