September 12, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom Florence, KY-The Southern Illinois Miners took advantage of two errors in the seventh inning and went on to defeat the Florence Freedom 5-3 in game one of the Frontier League Championship series.

With the game tied at 3-3 in the seventh, Jason Ganek reached on a Stephen Cardullo throwing error at third base. Jose Velazquez retired the next two batters bringing Chris Anderson to the plate with Ganek standing at third. Anderson hit a pop up to the right side of the infield which second baseman Pierre LePage dropped. This allowed Ganek to score. The two errors by the Freedom defense gave the Miners a 4-3 lead.

In the ninth, the Freedom had a chance against Miner closer Brandon Cunniff. With the bases loaded and with two outs, Cunniff got Peter Fatse to ground out to second base to end the ballgame.

The Freedom took a 1-0 lead on a Kyle Bluestein solo homerun in the second inning. The Miners then got back to back homeruns in the third. Anderson hit a two run homer off Freedom starter Andy Clark(0-2) and then Cannon Lester followed with a solo shot giving the Miners a 3-1 lead.

Drew Rundle hit his second homerun of the postseason in the sixth. It was a two run shot to left field which tied the game at 3-3.

David Harden(2-0) the Southern Illinois starter improved to 6-0 lifetime against the Freedom as he went 6.2 innings allowing seven hits on three earned runs. Cunniff picked up his fourth save of the postseason in as many tries.

Clark worked six innings giving up four hits on three earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts.

Bluestein and Fatse each had two hits for the Freedom who outhit the Miners 8-6.

The Freedom will look to even up the best of five series at a game apiece on Thursday night. LHP Daniel Calhoun(0-0, 7.20) gets the start for the Miners while the Florence starter is RHP Brandon Mathes(0-0, 4.00). The game can be heard with Steve Jarnicki starting at 6:20 on Real Talk 1160 and realtalk1160.com.

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Freedom Errors Help Miners Take Game One