ORLANDO, Fla. (June 5, 2011) - The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs spoiled the Orlando Freedom’s inaugural home opener at Orel Hershiser Field at The First Academy with an offensive outpour, 13-3.

 

The top four hitters in the Diamond Dawgs (3-0) lineup that included Todd Hankins (Seminole State Community College), Ted Blackman (St. Petersburg Community College), Michael Danner (Polk State College), and B.J. Zimmerman (State College of Florida), combined for an 11-for-20 plate appearance with four RBIs and seven runs scored.  

 

“We were all on our game today,” said Hankins.

 

The Diamond Dawgs also used their speed on the base paths to push the pace of the game. They stole three bases, but also took extra bases on balls that were not cut off by the Freedom (0-3) defense.

 

“Speed always affects any defense,” said Freedom Head Coach Scott Makarewicz. Coach Makarewicz added that Winter Park is always aggressive and that Diamond Dawgs coaching staff does a good job preparing their players.

 

The Winter Park pitching staff collectively shut down the Freedom as well, allowing just five total hits. Brad Renner (Hillsborough Community College) started the game for the Dawgs, but pitched just three innings because he was on a pitch count. He allowed two hits, two unearned runs, and struck out four. Brian Sheffler (Rochester University) picked up the win in relief for the Diamond Dawgs as the bullpen went seven innings, allowing three hits and just one run.

 

In the first inning, Hankins led off the game with a single to left field. He then proceeded to steal second base. Blackman continued his trend from the night before, and drew a walk. Hankins and Blackman then pulled of a double steal, with Hankins scoring on a ball thrown into left field and Blackman moving up to third on the play. Danner followed that up with an RBI infield single. Zimmerman next singled to center, which allowed Danner to move to third. Mike Reed (Auburn University) got in on the action too by driving in Danner on a sacrifice fly.

 

Of the three runs scored by Orlando, the Freedom scored two in the second inning. A.J. Mackey (Gulf Coast Community College) reached base on a Renner walk, which then saw Lawrence Pardo (Appalachian State) reach on an error. Robbie Haben (George Washington) came through for the Freedom early by driving in Mackey on a single to right field. Pardo then scored on an Anthony Coronia (State College of Florida) single to center field. Renner was able to limit the damage by using his fastball to work himself of out the early jam.

 

“When I was on, I was on, and when I was off I wasn’t even in the strike zone,” said Renner.

 

The Diamond Dawgs had an answer of their own in the third inning as Danner and Zimmerman hit back to back singles to right field, and both eventually scored on a costly Orlando error.

 

The Dawgs tacked on two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Freedom managed to manufacture one run in the seventh inning, but it was too late as the game was already out of hand at 9-3. Winter Park did not stop there though, as they combined for four runs between the eighth and ninth inning.

 

It was truly a complete team effort from the Diamond Dawgs, as they totaled 18 hits, seven of which were doubles.

 

“We just barreled up a bunch of balls and found gaps,” said Taed Moses (Florida State University).

 

Head Coach Kevin Davidson felt the offensive outburst was due to the players becoming more acclimated to swinging wood bats, since it has a been a while for most of them. Nevertheless, the Diamond Dawgs lineup one through nine, proved to be a gauntlet for the Freedom pitching staff.

 

“We’re deep, as deep as any other team I’ve put out there,” said Davidson.

The Diamond Dawgs will take on the DeLand Suns Tuesday, June 7 with the first pitch scheduled to be thrown at 7 p.m.

 

Mitchell Adams (UCF)