MARION -- Craig Massey had four hits but his team had just seven total Wednesday night as the Southern Illinois Miners lost to Florence, 8-1, at an eerily-quiet Rent One Park.
The Miners, who have now lost the series after losing 7-2 in Tuesday's opener, are 5-12 on the season. Florence leads the league's West Division at 13-4 with five of those wins coming against Southern Illinois.
Florence scored its first run Wednesday on a bases-loaded walk in the first inning, but stranded the bases loaded -- the first three of 16 left on base for the Freedom on the night.
The Miners tied it in the bottom half on a bases-loaded sac fly by Billy Germaine after Massey's first hit and a pair of walks, but didn't score again.
But the Freedom scored two in the second and another in the third against Miners starter Jared Messer (0-2), then tacked on another in the fifth, two in the seventh and another in the eighth.
The Miners loaded the bases with one out in the seventh after hits by London Lindley and Massey and a walk to Nolan Earley, but Ryan Lashley popped up on the infield and Justin Chigbogu flew out to left field.
Jose Brizuela and Andre Mercurio both had three hits for the Freedom. Andrew Godbold tripled and drove in three runs. Austin Wobrock and Connor Teykl, batting eighth and ninth in the order, both added two hits and two runs.
The series concludes Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.
