WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (June 9, 2011) - A second trip to Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven saw another Orlando Freedom (1-5) defeat, as the club fell 6-5 to the Winter Haven Loggerheads.
The Freedom lead by as many as four runs in the game but a late inning surge allowed the Loggerheads to take the contest.
“We just made some physical mistakes there,” Freedom Head Coach Scott Makarewicz said. “We got a leadoff runner on in the ninth and unfortunately he swung at ball four, but hey, that happens.”
For the sixth straight game, the Freedom gave up a first inning run. Winter Haven got on the board first when Kyle Campbell (Stetson) knocked an RBI single to bring home Andrew Sterling (Dickinson College) and give the Loggerheads a 1-0 lead.
Freedom starting pitcher Ronald Schreurs (Daytona St.) went two innings, giving up just one run while striking out four. Reliever Andy Ladisa (Southern Wesleyan) followed Schreurs with another two strong innings, allowing three hits while giving up no runs.
The lead was short-lived for Winter Haven as the Freedom snagged three runs in the top of the second. The scoring started after an Andy Lehane (Jacksonville) walk was followed by a Lawrence Pardo (Appalachian St.) triple that plated Lehane for the first Orlando run. Matt Mattone (Palm Beach St.) followed up with another single to plate Pardo. Following a walk, Chris Suto (Lake Sumter CC) and Aaron Spragg (Lipscomb) added back to back singles to score Mattone, and the Freedom led 3-1.
The scoring ceased for the next three innings before the Freedom grabbed two more runs in the top of the fifth. The runs came via a Suto bunt single followed by a one-out triple by Cory Angelo (West Florida). Lahane tacked on another single and the Freedom lead was pushed to 5-1.
The Loggerheads took one back in the bottom half of the fifth off new pitcher Kyle Rose (Georgia Tech). Rose allowed another run, this one unearned in the sixth, and the Freedom lead shrunk to two. Rose finished the day going two innings, allowing one earned run on three hits.
Winter Haven completed the comeback in the seventh adding three more runs. The runs came off pitcher Josh Larson (Santa Fe). Larson (0-1) took the loss in the contest, giving up three earned runs on four Loggerhead hits.
Winter Haven relievers Mike Muha (St. Joseph) and Michael Heller (Florida) shut the door on the Freedom in the eighth and ninth to down Orlando for the second time in a week. Muha (1-0) grabbed the win for the Loggerheads, while Heller recorded his first save.
Leading the Freedom at the plate were Spragg and Pardo. Each had two hits and knocked in a run. Suto also recorded two hits.
“We just have to keep running those guys out there,” Makarewicz said. “I’m showing the confidence that I have in them. I believe in them. I’m not going to pull somebody out and let them think they can’t get out of a situation. I know every kid can.”
The Freedom will return home to Orel Hershiser Field Friday, June 10 to take on the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (4-2). The Diamond Dawgs have already bested the Orlando club twice on the young season. Game time is slated for 7 pm.
Jake Snyder (Marshall University)