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Freedom swept in weekend series against Rascals, stay on the road to play Miners Tuesday


The Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, fell, 17-7, to the River City Rascals on Sunday at CarShield Field.

Continuing a trend that lasted all series, River City (46-33) scored first, plating a pair of runs after catcher’s interference extended the bottom of the first inning.

James Morisano to put the home team ahead with a two-RBI single.

Adding to the advantage in the second, Braxton Martinez and Trevor Achenbach connected on back-to-back homers for the second time this weekend, the former being a two-run shot as the score moved to 5-0.

Florence pulled within two with a three-run third.

Austin Wobrock lifted a sacrifice-fly before Connor Crane plated two with his first triple of the year. Right-hander, Taylor Ahearn would make the start for River City, but lasted only four innings on his way to a no-decision.

Another run crossed the plate off Freedom lefty, Scott Sebald, in the third.

L.J. Kalawaia stretched the Rascals edge to, 6-3, with an RBI-single. Sebald finished his outing with two shut-out innings.

The southpaw took a no-decision, his eighth of the season, logging 5 innings and allowing six earned on seven hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks.

The Freedom fought back to tie the score in the fifth.

Wobrock continued a strong performance at the plate with a two-run single to center, scoring Caleb Lopes and Luis Pintor who both reached on singles to start the frame, knocking Ahearn out of the game.

With Anthony Herrera on the hill for the Rascals, Taylor Bryant worked a walk with the bases loaded, helping Florence tiethe game at 6.

For a moment, it appeared the Freedom would take a one-run lead, pinch-hitter, Trevor Craport sending a fly-ball to left with one out. Crane attempted to tag up and score, but was ruled to have left early and the top of the fifth came to an abrupt end.

River City used four pitchers over the final four innings, Andrew Vernon (4-1), Taylor Suggs, Taylor Purus, and Tanner Cable each went one inning.

The contest would slip away from Florence in the home side of the sixth, Sean Hughes (2-1) taking over on the hill for Sebald.

The right-hander struggled, allowing six earned runs without recording an out.

After a walk and a single started the inning, Martinez turned on his second homer of the game, a three-run shot to push the Rascals ahead, 9-6. Morisano plated one more on an ensuing fielder’s choice, before Hayden Wheeler replaced Hughes with two men on and none out.

Wheeler fanned the first two batters he faced, but River City mounted a two-out rally, sending seven batters to the dish before out number three was recorded. 

Three-straight walks scored the final two runs on the Hughes line, and Martinez added two more RBI with a line-drive single to left.

Achenbach tallied his second homer of the game next, a three-run shot to open a, 17-6, lead in an eleven-run frame.

The Freedom added one more run in the ninth off Cable.

Brandon Pugh scoredCrane from third with a rocket to right-center that turned into a sacrifice-fly. 

Both teams take the show on the road for a mid-week series inside the West Division beginning on Tuesday.

Florence will take on the resurgent Southern Illinois Miners at Rent One Park, while the Rascals travel to historic Bosse Field for a collision with the Evansville Otters.

The Florence Freedom are members of the Independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, KY. The Freedom can be found online at florencefreedom.com, or by phone at (859) 594-4487.


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