sfoggi posted on July 24, 2011 20:15
ORLANDO (July 24, 2011) - The last time the Orlando Freedom took on the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, the two squads combined to score just one run as the Freedom took the contest.
Sunday night proved to be a polar opposite as the Freedom bested the Dawgs 14-11 in a game that saw no shortage of offense. In fact, the two clubs combined for eight more runs than the previous matchup in the first inning.
The Freedom got off to a rocky start in the first frame, allowing four runs in an inning highlighted by a one-out Patrick McGavin (Alabama) three-run home run. Orlando seemed almost asleep at the wheel, committing two errors in the frame.
By the bottom of the inning, the club woke up. The Freedom responded with a five-run first of their own to grab the lead in a wild inning. Anthony Caronia (Tampa) led off the inning with a walk. After Caronia stole second and moved to third on a passed ball, Kevin Lehane (Jacksonville) followed with a sacrifice fly to score the Freedom’s first run.
Jason Anderson (Brevard CC) came up with a one-out double and Matt Mattone (Palm Beach St.) followed with a single. A wild pitch brought home Anderson in an at-bat in which Chris Suto (Lake Sumter CC) walked.
One batter later, Matt Frank (Jacksonville) blasted a three-run home run that just made it over the left field wall to give the Freedom the 5-4 lead. That concluded the craziness of the first, but the stage was set for a wild one.
The two teams exchanged runs in the second and third innings with the Freedom picking up one in the second, the Dawgs one in the third. Orlando added another in the fourth to give the team a 7-5 lead.
Following the Dawgs’ run in the third, the Freedom bullpen took control for the next four innings, holding Winter Park scoreless. That opened the door for Orlando to break open the game, which occurred in the fifth frame.
Mattone led off the inning with a double. One out later, AJ Mackey (Gulf Coast CC) did the same with a double to score Mattone. Frank kept the double streak alive with one of his own to bring home Mackey. Two batters later with two aboard, Caronia singled to bring home a third run in the inning and give the Freedom a 10-5 lead.
Caronia led the charge for the Freedom all night racking up four hits on the day and adding a walk to reach base five times. The speedy shortstop came around three times to score and knocked in two. Mackey and Lehane each added three hits as well.
The five run lead seemed to be enough for the Freedom as the pen cruised through the six and seventh innings. But with the best hitting club in the Florida League in the Diamond Dawgs, no lead is safe.
The Dawgs picked up two runs in the eighth inning, but even with the three run lead, the Freedom still seemed to be in control. When Orlando pulled out four more in the bottom of the eighth, victory seemed all but assured.
But the Dawgs were not ready to go quietly.
Winter Park racked up four runs in the top of the ninth, three unearned, and brought the tying run to the plate with two outs. McGavin happened to be that tying run. The Dawgs’ slugger lifted a fly ball that, off the bat, seemed to be heading over the center field wall. Fortunately for the Freedom, the ball held in the swirling wind at Orel Hershiser Field and Suto was able to make the catch at the warning track.
The Freedom got their second victory in a row and took a full game lead over the fifth place Sanford River Rats to remain in fourth place. With seven games left in the regular season, the Freedom have a one and a half game advantage over the sixth place Winter Haven Loggerheads.
Orlando takes on the fifth-place Rats Monday (July 25) night in a makeup contest after a rainout Friday. The Freedom have four games left against the bottom two teams in the league. Game time for the Freedom and Rats’ contest is slated for 7 p.m.
Jake Snyder (Marshall University)