The Evansville Otters came within one run of the Florence Freedom at one point in Thursday’s exhibition, but the Freedom pulled away with a three-run sixth inning to defeat the Otters 7-3.
Florence’s Isaac Benard began the offensive output for the Freedom with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the first inning. A bases-loaded walk pushed Florence’s lead to 2-0 by the end of the inning.
The Freedom doubled their lead over the Otters with a Connor Crane home run and a Caleb Lopes RBI single.
Evansville’s bats strung together hits with contributions from the bottom third of the lineup.
J.J. Gould knocked in the Otters’ first run in the third inning with an RBI double.
In the fourth, Hunter Cullen’s two-RBI single brought the Otters within a run, 4-3.
Cullen finished with a three-hit night at the plate for the Otters.
In the sixth inning, Florence broke the game open. Crane drove in Florence’s fifth run of the game on an RBI single, recording two RBIs in the game.
A few batters later, Luis Pintor hit a two-run RBI single to extend Florence’s lead to 7-3.
Florence scored all of its seven runs on seven hits, while Evansville had three runs on seven hits.
The Otters will return home Friday night at 6:35 p.m. for their annual Jacob’s Village benefit exhibition game against the Southern Illinois Miners.
All proceeds from Friday’s game will benefit Jacob’s Village.
The mission of Jacob’s Village is to develop a safe, walk-able neighborhood community where people with disabilities and older adults can find meaningful relationships, housing that is affordable and accessible, and activities that encourage active minds and bodies.
Tickets for Friday’s Jacob’s Village benefit game can be purchased at the Bosse Field box office, at all G.D. Ritzy’s locations, and the Jacob’s Village office.
