In a first, a game that was officially postponed was then unpostponed about a half hour later, and it was the best thing for the Evansville Otters (29-17) as before the rain delay/postponement they were down 2-0, but after the continuation of the game the Otters responded with four runs to go on to win 4-2 against the Florence Freedom (20-26).
Collins Cuthrell put the Freedom on the board early with a two run home in the bottom of the first inning off of Efrain Nieves. The game was flying by until the top of the third inning when, with the score 2-0 in favor of the Freedom and two outs, the skies opened up and delayed the game.
An hour and a half into the rain delay the umpires called the game, postponing to the next day. However, after some deliberation the postponement was cancelled and it was decided that the game would resume. That decision would benefit the Otters.
After the continuation and a two hour and 21 minute rain delay, the Otter bats woke up. With the Otters still down 2-0 in the top of the fifth, Nik Balog started the inning with a perfectly placed bloop double down the left field. After a groundout, Kurt Wertz Jr. doubled into the left center field gap to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. After a popout Cory Urquhart worked a walk to put runners on first and second with the two outs, setting the stage for the All-Star John Schultz.
Schultz, who was already 1-for-2 at that point in the game, ripped a single right back up the middle, plating Wertz Jr. from second, tying the game at 2-2. Josh Allen came to the plate next and watched four pitches in a row miss the strike zone to load the base for Dane Phillips. Despite falling behind 1-2 in the count, Phillips was undaunted and took the 1-2 pitch and sent it right back up the middle, scoring two, sending the Otters into the lead at 4-2.
After giving up the two runs in the first inning, and after enduring the rain delay, Nieves settled down to shut down the Freedom over the next four innings, finally leaving the game after five innings pitched. His final line was five innings allowing four hits and just the two runs and walking one, picking up two strikeouts.
Connor Little pitched the sixth inning of the seven inning game and, like he had done five prior times this season, held the lead for the Otters, striking out the side. He now has 33 strikeouts to just one walk on the season in 25 innings. He turned the ball over to the All-Star closer Edgar Lopez and Lopez put down the Freedom with relative ease, securing his 14th save in as many chances and sealing the Otters 4-2 victory. Nieves improves to 6-2 on the season with the win, dropping his ERA to 2.88.
John Schultz went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the game and has now scored in seven straight games with ten runs scored in that time. Dane Phillips drove in the game winning runs with the bases loaded single and has now driven in a run in four straight games while going 1-for-3.
Tomorrow will be a doubleheader as the Otters and Freedom play their final two games of the season against one another. Will Oliver (5-2, 1.68) ERA will throw Game One for the Otters against Casey Henn, who is 3-6 with a 3.35 ERA. Game Two will feature Preston Olson 5-2 with a 3.56 ERA versus the Freedom’s Tony Vocca, 2-1 with a 2.01 ERA. Game time for Game One will be 4:35 pm CDT with the pregame show with Jake Donnelly starting at 4:15 pm CDT.
