sfoggi posted on June 26, 2011 19:10
ORLANDO (June 26, 2011) – The Winter Haven Loggerheads dropped a 9-6 decision to the Orlando Freedom Sunday afternoon at Orel Hershiser Field at The First Academy.
Leading the Loggerheads offensively were Justin Burgess (Montevallo) and Michael Heller (Miami-Dade) with two hits each, along with a stolen base. Burgess added two runs scored, while Heller had one.
Southpaw Patrick Camporini (Georgetown, 0-2) was charged with the loss tossing 2 1/3 innings, giving up the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning.
Winter Haven held a lead through five innings, before giving up a three-spot in the bottom of the sixth. The Loggerheads plated a pair of runs in the third, a lone run in the fourth, and another two in the fifth to lead 5-4.
In the bottom of the sixth, Camporini found himself in a jam giving up back-to-back hits to put runners on first and second. A costly Loggerheads error would advance both runners, scoring one.
On the next at-bat, Kevin Lehane (Jacksonville) crushed a two-run bomb over the left field wall to give Orlando their second and final lead of the game. The Freedom added another two insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh to cap off their scoring.
The Loggerheads managed to plate a lone run in the top of the ninth as Burgess crossed the plate on a Freedom wild pitch.
Brandan Keen (North Florida) was credited with the win in three full innings of work, striking out three and walking one.
Winter Haven will return to Chain of Lakes Park on Tuesday, June 28 as the Loggerheads play host to the Leesburg Lightning for the first time this season. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m.