sfoggi posted on June 14, 2011 12:52
DELAND, Fla. (June 14, 2011) - A Tuesday afternoon contest was unkind for the Orlando Freedom (1-8) as the squad fell for the second consecutive time to the DeLand Suns (4-5). The Suns squad proved to be too much for the struggling Freedom, taking the contest 10-1.
The Suns got on the board immediately in the bottom half of the first, after Steve Bellantoni (USC-Aiken) led off the game with a single. Bellantoni then stole second and a one-out single by Myles Smith (Deerborn HS) plated the first DeLand run. Brad Carlton (Stetson) followed that hit with a walk. A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third before a throwing error by the catcher plated Smith. A walk to J.T. Warmoth (Embry-Riddle) put runners on first and third. When Warmoth was thrown out at second during an attempted steal, Carlton skated home and the Suns led 3-0.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Carlton dropped a double down the left field line, scoring two, to push the score to 5-0. DeLand continued the scoring in the bottom of the third when Aaron Silbar (Columbia) grounded out with one away and runners on second and third. Through three innings, the Suns held a 6-0 lead.
DeLand tallied one more in the fourth when Warmoth stroked a triple to left field to plate Smith. The triple closed out the day for Freedom starting pitcher Ronald Schreurs (Daytona St.). Schreurs (0-1) took the loss for Orlando, going 3 2/3 innings while giving up seven runs on seven hits and five walks.
The Freedom were finally able to get to Sun’s starting pitcher Montana DuRapau (Bethune Cookman) in the top half of the sixth. Zack Houck (Jacksonville) led off the inning with a walk. Kevin Lehane (Jacksonville) followed Houck with a one-out single before Lawrence Pardo (Appalachian St.) knocked a single to right field to bring in the first Orlando run.
DuRapau finished the day going 5 1/3 innings, allowing just the one run on three hits. The Sun’s pitcher walked just three while striking out five.
The walk bug bit the Freedom in the bottom of the seventh. Four straight walks to Sun’s batters plated one more run the in inning before Silbar punched a single to left to knock in another to push the lead to 9-1. Continuing the trend, Bellantoni pushed an infield single between third and short and the lead moved to 10-1.
The Sun’s pitching was nothing short of dominant, allowing just one run on four hits for the day. In total, four pitchers toed the rubber for DeLand, DuRapau putting in 5 1/3 innings of work, with Joe Lovecchio (South Florida), Eric Green and Jairo Acevedo (Bethune Cookman) coming in to finish off the game. The three relievers allowed no runs and just two hits in 3 2/3 innings pitched.
Leading the offensive onslaught for the Suns was Bellantoni and Warmoth. Bellantoni grabbed three hits on the day, knocking in one run and scoring two more. Warmoth was 2-for-3 on the day, knocking in one and scoring once.
The Freedom will be back in action Wednesday, June 15 on the road against the Sanford River Rats (3-5). The game marks the first time the two squads will face each other on the season. Game time is slated for 7 pm.
Jake Snyder (Marshall University)