Freedom skid reaches four games as bats go cold; try to avoid road sweep by Crushers today – User-generated content (press release) (registration)

After a productive start, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, saw their bats go cold en route to a season-high fourth straight loss Saturday night against the Lake Erie Crushers at Sprenger Stadium by a final score of 4-1.

Taylor Oldham singled with one out in the top of the first and took third on an Andre Mercurio base hit to right field. With two out for the Freedom (32-18), Andrew Godbold drove a ground-rule double to left-center to plate Oldham for the games first run, but a flyout left Mercurio and Godbold stranded in scoring position.

Payton Lobdell (1-3) would go on to cruise through six quality innings for the Crushers (22-27), allowing just two hits and one walk after the first inning.

Freedom starter Enrique Zamora (1-1) battled through command problems through his first four innings, including escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam with a double-play grounder in the second, but managed to hold Lake Erie scoreless until the fifth. Tanner Lubach led off the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.

L.J. Kalawaia then lined a single to right field, the first Crushers hit of the game, to score Lubach and tie the game. Jordan Dean doubled Kalawaia to third, and Brandon Murray gave Lake Erie a 2-1 lead with a RBI-groundout to shortstop. Sean Hurley capped the Crushers rally with a RBI-single to end Zamoras evening.

Patrick McGrath took over for Zamora with two out and promptly struck out Cody Lenahan to end the inning, but the left-hander gave up an additional run in the sixth on a Lubach RBI-double. Matt Kaster and Sam Brunner each pitched one scoreless inning the rest of the way for the Freedom, but Lake Erie reliever Andrew Utterback retired all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth.

Jose Brizuela led off the ninth with a bunt single off Chandler Jagodzinski, only to be tagged out on a double-play grounder before Godbold struck out swinging to end the game.

The fourth straight loss established a new season-long losing streak for the Freedom, who have also lost three consecutive series heading into the Frontier League all-star break.

The Freedom will look to avoid the series sweep in Sundays finale. Jordan Kraus (7-3) will take the mound for the Freedom against his former team, while Lake Erie will counter with right-hander Steve Hagen (3-3). First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. at Sprenger Stadium.

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.

Florence Freedom

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Freedom skid reaches four games as bats go cold; try to avoid road sweep by Crushers today - User-generated content (press release) (registration)