sfoggi posted on June 26, 2011 20:57
ORLANDO (June 26, 2011) - Saturday night, Kevin Lehane (Jacksonville) hit a fly ball to center field at Chain of Lakes Field in Winter Haven that was caught near the base of the 420 foot wall. The ball likely would have been a home run in every other park in the Florida League.
One day later, back at Orel Hershiser Field in Orlando, Lehane blasted not one, but two shots that landed on the other side of the fence. Lehane’s two home runs led the way for the Freedom (4-13), who took down the Winter Haven Loggerheads 9-6 in an afternoon contest.
Winter Haven got on the board first in the game, pushing two runs across in the top of the third inning. The Freedom responded quickly in the bottom half. After Anthony Caronia (Tampa) grabbed a two out infield single, Lehane notched his first big fly of the season with a colossal home run that soared into the trees behind the left field wall. The Freedom grabbed another run across in the inning to take the 3-2 lead.
The Loggerheads (7-9) tied the score in the fourth with another run and took the lead in the contest in the fifth with two more runs. Again the Freedom responded. In the bottom of the fifth, the home club tacked on a run to close the deficit to one through five innings.
After a scoreless top of the sixth, the Freedom took the lead for good. Cory Angelo (West Florida) led off the stanza with a double and Anthony Siler (Brevard CC) followed with a single. After Angelo came home via an error that tied the contest, Lehane again came to the plate with one Freedom runner on base.
Lehane gave the Freedom the lead with a moon shot that again cleared the left field wall. The Freedom added two insurance runs in the seventh to extend the lead to 9-5. Winter Haven rallied in the ninth to pick up a run, but when the final out was recorded, the Freedom took the 9-6 victory.
The top of the lineup was stellar for the Orlando squad, as the first three hitters gathered six hits. Caronia had two hits and scored a run, while Lehane and Mattone each scored a pair of runs with the former knocking in four. Angelo grabbed two hits and scored twice, as well.
The bullpen was effective for the Freedom, as three pitchers came in on relief. Brandon Keen (North Florida) worked three innings and picked up his first victory on the year, giving up two runs on three hits, punching out three Loggerhead batters.
CJ Kelly (Seminole St.) and Ed Brandsema (Montevallo) worked the final three innings, collectively giving up just one run on two hits.
Orlando gets back in action Tuesday (June 28) against the DeLand Suns on the road. The game begins a five-day road trip before the squad returns back to Orel Hershiser Field next Sunday (July 3). Game time against the Suns is set for 7 p.m.
Jake Snyder (Marshall University)