A 4-for-4 night from Andrew Godbold, which included a towering home run to dead center in the bottom of the eighth inning, lifted the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, over the Normal CornBelters by a score of 8-7 to take the series Sunday at UC Health Stadium.

The Freedom (34-20) got the scoring started in the bottom of the first when Daniel Fraga reached on an error by Normal (25-29) shortstop Santiago Chirino before stealing second base and advancing to third on a passed ball. Fraga then scored on a broken bat ground out to second by Taylor Oldham.

In the top of the second Normal struck back, registering four consecutive singles to start the frame which included a pair of run scoring one baggers by Hakes and Craig Lepre giving Normal the edge 2-1. Florence would answer in the home half of the second however, as Jordan Brower, Godbold and Garrett Vail strung together three straight singles, with Vails tying the score.

The CornBelters regained the lead in the top of the fifth when Aaron Dudley followed a Chirino single with a line-drive two-run homer to right field, putting Normal in front, 4-2.

But Florence would surge ahead in the home half of the sixth, sending eight men to the plate and scratching across four runs. Jose Brizuela led off with a single before reaching third on a double by Andre Mercurio. Collins Cuthrell followed with a sacrifice fly to score Brizuela before Brower plated Mercurio as the tying run with a RBI-single. Godbolds second double of the night scored Brower to grant Florence a 5-4 lead, and a Vail sacrifice fly plated Godbold after the latter had reached third on a wild pickoff attempt at second base.

The Freedom added a run to their lead with a Mercurio RBI-groundout in the seventh, only to see the lead diminished to one run on a Brian Hakes two-run homer to right field off Matt Kaster in the eighth.

In the bottom half, Godbolds solo home run off reliever Ben McKendall would give Florence a much- needed insurance run, as Nolan Meadows homered off Keivan Berges with two out in the top of the ninth, followed by a Justin Fletcher bloop-double to shallow center field. Berges, however, recovered to induce a game-ending flyout from Diego Cedeno, giving the Freedom the series victory.

Eric Gleese (1-1) earned the win, going six innings and allowing four runs on nine hits before turning the game over to Patrick McGrath, who pitched a flawless seventh. Charlie Gillies (4-5) took the loss, surrendering six runs (four earned) on ten hits over five and two-thirds innings.

The Freedom next travel to Schaumburg, Illinois to open a three-game series Tuesday against the East Division-leading Schaumburg Boomers. Jordan Kraus (7-3) will start for the Freedom, while the Boomers will counter with Lars Liguori (4-2). First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central Time at Boomers 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.

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Freedom slug way to series win over CornBelters at UC Health Stadium; Godbold leads offensive surge - User-generated content (press release)...