The River City Rascals (14-10) scored at least one run in all but two innings to defeat the Florence Freedom (9-15) by a final score of 8-4 Thursday night.
Florence jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first as Daniel Fraga singled to start the frame. Sam Eberle drew a walk and Fraga proceeded to steal third. Austin Newell singled home Fraga and Eberle went to third on the play. Newell then stole second and the throw went into center field, allowing Eberle to score and Florence took a 2-0 lead. Newell advanced to third on a wild pitch and Gaby Juarbe drew a walk. The Freedom pulled off a double steal as Juarbe swiped second and Newell stole home. The throw home to try and get Newell was wild and Juarbe advanced to third. He scored on an Ozzy Gonzalez sacrifice fly to make it 4-0 in favor of the Freedom.
They didn’t score again.
Instead River City rallied, slowly but surely, to eventually take the lead.
Curran Redal doubled to start the bottom of the first and Brian Hansen, who finished with four hits on the night, singled him home. Zach Kometani doubled with one out in the second and Jackson Slaid doubled him home. River City loaded the bases in the third with nobody out. A Hector Crespo sacrifice fly and a Kometani single tied the game at 4-4.
River City took the lead for good in the fifth on a Josh Ludy solo home run off Florence starter Casey Henn (1-5). It was the seventh home run allowed by Henn this season. They added one more in the frame on a Kometani sacrifice fly. Henn went 4 1/3innings, giving up six runs on 10 hits as he dropped his fifth straight start.
A Hansen RBI triple in the sixth and a Kometani RBI single in the seventh completed the scoring for River City.
The Freedom will take on the Schaumburg Boomers Friday night at UC Health Stadium. It’s Star Wars Night and fans can get tickets here. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
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