Bolts 5 Freedom 4
FLORENCE, KY – The ThunderBolts jumped out to a 5-0 lead against the Florence Freedom and withstood a late rally for a 5-4 win at UCMC Stadium Tuesday night.
The ThunderBolts’ 49th win of the year guaranteed their sixth winning season in the last seven years.
The Bolts began the scoring in the top of the second. Zach Aakhus led off with a walk and later scored on a Doug Joyce groundout.
They scored two more in the fourth, Chad Cregar walked and Andrew Brauer singled to put two men on base in front of Kyle Robinson, who singled home Cregar. Miles Walding singled Brauer in to make it 3-0.
Windy City’s final scores came in the fifth. Mike Torres hit a one-out double and Cregar came up with a two-out home run, his 11th of the season.
Matt Wickswat held the lead through six as he had not allowed a hit since the second inning. At one point, Wickswat retired 14 straight batters, a streak that was broken up with a wild pitch third strike on Jeremy Hamilton leading off the seventh. Byron Wiley doubled and Hamilton scored on Jim Jacquot’s RBI infield single. Pablo Bermudez walked to load the bases and Wickswat was removed in favor of Jessie Snodgrass, who walked the first batter he faced, forcing in a run. Cole Miles singled to score two more, but Snodgrass got the final two outs to keep the lead at one.
Reese McGraw and Michael Click each pitched a scoreless inning to protect the 5-4 lead.
Wickswat (7-11) earned the win and Chuck Weaver (4-2) allowed five runs in five innings for the loss. Click picked up his 22nd save.
The series will continue Wednesday night at UCMC Stadium as the ThunderBolts send Daniel Cropper (8-4, 4.24) to the mound against Florence’s Michael Oros (6-5, 2.23). First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 and the broadcast can be heard on WXAV 88.3 FM and wxav.com.
Box Score
