sfoggi posted on July 26, 2011 21:51
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (July 26, 2011) – A grand slam in the bottom of the eighth by Jonathan Hall (Trinity) lifted the Winter Haven Loggerheads, 11-3, over the Orlando Freedom Tuesday night. Winter Haven is now in a three-way tie for fourth with Orlando and Sanford in the Florida League standings.
On a 2-2 count, Hall blasted a bomb over the left centerfield wall for the final Loggerheads runs to keep the Freedom out of reach. Hall was 2-for-5 on the night with four RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base.
Despite holding the Freedom to one run scored, Loggerheads starter Peter Miller (Florida State) received the no decision, pitching 3 2/3 innings. Southpaw Patrick Camporini (Georgetown) earned the win giving up two runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings of work.
Orlando starting pitcher Taylor Hammond (Samford) kept the Loggerheads at bay as only one Winter Haven base runner managed to reach third through four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Hammond ran into some trouble as he gave up three runs and was pulled from the game. Hammond was charged with the loss, while recording a game-high six strikeouts.
With a three-run fifth, Winter Haven held a two-run lead over Orlando, but extended their lead to 6-1 in the next frame. Relieving Hammond was Ryan Caporice (Santa Fe College), but was then pulled in the sixth as he failed to record an out in the bottom of the sixth.
Each team notched nine hits, as the Freedom recorded two errors to Winter Haven’s one.
Shortstop Daniel Gonzales (Rice) led the Loggerheads, as he was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate. Gonzales scored two runs, while driving in one, and tallied two stolen bases. Reigning FCSL Player of the Week Andrew Sterling, along with Hall, had two hits.
Orlando, Sanford, and Winter Haven will vie for a spot in the playoffs as the fourth and fifth-place teams will play in the play-in game on August 2. The winning team will advance to the playoffs, and perhaps a chance to the championship game in Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Winter Haven has six games left on their slate with four held at the home field at Chain of Lakes Park. The Loggerheads will hit the road for one against DeLand on Wednesday (July 27) with first pitch set for 7 p.m.