sfoggi posted on July 27, 2011 22:12
ORLANDO (July 27, 2011) - The Orlando Freedom (14-22) pulled out ninth inning heroics against the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (21-11) to win 9-8.
Winter Park reached double-digit hits for the 17th time this season with 15, and outhit Orlando, who had 12. However, the Freedom would get the hit that mattered most in the end.
Fifteen runs were scored in the first five innings between both teams, and the Dawgs got a quick run in the top of the first inning on a Spencer Haynes (University of Central Florida) single to centerfield that scored Ted Blackman (Coastal Carolina).
The Freedom answered in the bottom of the second inning with four runs. It was the first time since July 5 that Diamond Dawgs starter Brad Renner (Hillsborough Community College) had given up an earned run.
As was par for the course early on in this game, the Diamond Dawgs replied in the top of the third inning. After a run came home due to a bases loaded walk, Alex Cruz (Georgia Tech) brought home two more on a single to centerfield. Cruz went 2-for-5 on the night with two RBIs and a run scored. When the dust settled, Winter Park had a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom of the frame. Orlando continued the early offensive onslaught by responding back with three more runs to make it a 7-6 game after three innings of play.
Both teams managed to silence each other in the fourth inning, but in the fifth they were back to scoring. After the first two batters of the inning reached base, Dustin DeMuth (Indiana University) laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the lead runner was thrown out at third base by Freedom catcher Matt Mattone (Palm Beach State). Patrick McGavin (University of Alabama) then plated a run with a single to left field to tie things at seven. However, the Dawgs did not take full advantage of their scoring threat, as that would be the only run they would score in the inning.
Orlando was right back at it in the bottom of the fifth inning with the go-ahead run, as Jason Anderson (Brevard Community College) scored all the way from first base on an A.J. Mackey (Gulf Coast Community College) double to right field.
From the sixth through eighth innings, the scoring settled at Orel Hershiser Field. Winter Park reliever Drew Packard (Villanova University) threw three innings of one hit ball and did not allow any runs to score. Orlando reliever Edward Brandsema (Montevallo) surrendered one run to the Dawgs in the top of the sixth on a B.J. Zimmerman (University of Tampa) single to right field, which tied the game at 8-all. Zimmerman leads the league with 27 RBIs.
The Dawgs had two late inning opportunities to take the lead, but failed to come through. In the top of the eighth inning, Blackman was caught stealing third in a strike’em out throw’em out situation. Zimmerman followed the twin killing with a double to left centerfield, and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was not brought home. In the top of the ninth inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, pinch runner Blake Hutton (Ohio State University) was caught stealing third to end the inning.
With one out and no one on in the bottom of the ninth, Mattone, who was 0-for-3 with a walk, stepped to the plate and on the first pitch he saw hit a home run to leftfield that got out in a hurry.
The Diamond Dawgs are still one and a half games back of the Leesburg Lightning. They will be on the road against the Winter Haven Loggerheads Thursday, July 28 for a double header that begins at 5 p.m.
Mitchell Adams (UCF)