wcthunderbolts.com

CRESTWOOD, IL – Zac Westcott allowed only one hit over seven innings, but Marty Anderson shutdown the Windy City ThunderBolts’ offense as the Florence Freedom escaped with a 1-0 win in front of a Wednesday morning crowd of 2,824.

Neither team had secured a hit through the first two and a half innings, but the ThunderBolts (3-1) mounted a two-out threat in the bottom of the third. Blair Beck walked, Ishmael Edwards doubled and Tim Zier walked to load the bases. Anderson recovered to retire Riley Krane, ending the threat.

Westcott retired the first 17 batters in the game but lost his perfect game in the sixth, when Mike Morris drew a two-out walk. The Freedom (4-1) recorded their first and only hit to lead off the seventh inning. Connor Crane tripled to left-center field and scored one batter later on a Jose Brizuela sacrifice fly to center.

The ThunderBolts had one more scoring chance, when David Oppenheim doubled with two outs in the ninth. With the tying run in scoring position, Tyler Straub hit a deep fly to centerfield, but Andre Mercurio tracked it down just in front of the warning track to end the game.

Anderson (1-0) allowed two of the ThunderBolts’ three hits and struck out six over seven innings to earn the win. Westcott was the tough-luck loser, falling to 0-1 despite possessing a 0.60 ERA after two starts. Patrick McGrath threw a scoreless ninth inning to notch his first save of the season.

The series concludes with one more morning game, Thursday at 10:35. Patrick Ledet (1-0, 1.29) will make his second start of the year for Windy City while Florence will counter with Cody Gray (1-0, 1.29). It is the second of four School Days at Standard Bank Stadium sponsored by Noodles & Company and fans not in attendance can hear the broadcast on WXAV 88.3 FM and wxav.com.

Box Score