sfoggi posted on June 15, 2011 20:06
SANFORD, Fla. (June 15, 2011) - A Wednesday night contest saw the Orlando Freedom (1-9) drop their fifth straight game as the Sanford River Rats (4-5) bested the club 7-3 by way of solid pitching from the home team.
“I know the frustration is starting to set in for the players,” Freedom Head Coach Scott Makarewicz said. “Hopefully we’ll iron things out and get on a little roll here.”
The stumbling Freedom struck early rallying to grab a run in the opening frame. Zack Houck (Jacksonville) led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Aaron Spragg (Lipscomb) followed with another single to move Houck to third. A passed ball brought Houck home and the Freedom led 1-0.
A similar fate faced the Freedom in the bottom of the first as the leadoff hitter for the Rats, Alex Mendez (South Florida), led off the inning with a single. Mendez moved around the bases and a two-out wild pitch allowed the Rat runner to score, tying the contest at one.
The Rats added another run in the third after TJ Gavlick (North Florida) led off the inning with a single. Starting Freedom pitcher Corben Madden (Jacksonville) seemed to settle down in the inning retiring the next two Sanford hitters, but with two away, Austin Liput (USC Upstate) pounded a triple to centerfield and the Rats took the 2-1 lead.
The bats quieted for both squads from the fourth through sixth innings, as the game took on a breakneck pace. The pitching staffs for both clubs were able to blank the opposition for three straight innings.
After holding the Freedom scoreless in the top half of the seventh, Sanford was able to get on the board again. Three straight one-out singles for the Rats brought home one more run, before an Austin Liput sacrifice fly scored another to push the score to 4-1. With two away, Ian MacGeorge (Embry Riddle) launched a two-run home run to expand the lead to 6-1 and close out the day for Freedom pitcher Madden.
Madden (1-1) was charged with the loss in 6 2/3 innings of work, giving up six runs on nine hits, while striking out four. The four-run seventh put a damper on an otherwise solid outing for the starter.
“He was aggressive and threw strikes,” Makarewicz said of his starter. “We just have to make the plays behind him once again. I just want the guys to be ready and on their toes when a guy is on the bump throwing strikes.”
Toeing the rubber for the opposing River Rats was JR Edwards (Lehigh). Edwards (1-2) finished the day going six innings, giving up just one run on seven hits. Pat Fortunato came in on relief for the Rats going two innings, giving up no runs on just one hit, while striking out two.
Sanford was able to grab one more run in the eighth before closing out the Freedom in the ninth. The Freedom were able to make a little noise in the ninth. Leadoff hitter Matt Mattone (Palm Beach St.) got things started by reaching first on an error, which was followed by an AJ Mackey walk. Jake Huxtable knocked in Mattone with a single to left, but a double play that drove in Mackey ended the rally.
The lone run that came for the Freedom in the first inning and was followed by far too many zeros on the scoreboard. A two-run top of the ninth proved to be not enough and the Freedom were bested by Sanford 7-3 in the first contest between the teams on the season.
Orlando finishes up a three game road trip Thursday (June 16) against the Leesburg Lightning (8-1) before returning home to Orel Hershiser Field Friday (June 17) to take on the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (6-2).
Jake Snyder (Marshall University)