Playing with the proverbial target on your back is not an easy task. Just ask the baseball team, as they work to not let the chance of a promising season slip past. Freedom started the season out well, winning their first two games. In those games, 26 Freedom players crossed home plate safely. The next two games were a completely different story for Freedom as they only scored a combined five runs in losses to Ellwood City and Riverside. Lack of timely hitting and intensity killed the team as they dropped consecutive non-section games for the first time in three years. After their two straight losses, Freedom took out some frustration on Cornell, pounding them by fifteen runs. Dan O’Leary launched two grand slams and provided eight of Freedom’s 16 runs. Lefty pitcher Jesse Johnston picked up his second win of the season that day, throwing a one-hitter. Freedom’s hardest opponent so far this season has been their section rival, Center. In one of the most classic baseball games in Freedom history, the Bulldogs battled the Trojans for 12 innings, only to lose 5-2. Even in the loss, many bright points shined through for Freedom. The biggest bright spot was Cole Lentz. Lentz was almost unhittable. He racked up 16 strikeouts in eight innings and gave up only one run. Along with his dominating performance on the mound, Lentz also knocked in one of Freedom’s two runs. Coach Wetzel was proud of his senior pitcher. “Cole was a stud. He is by far the best player in the county,” Wetzel said after the loss. Through the loss, Freedom learned that their swagger was back. The team never gave up, even though timely hitting has continued to be the Bulldogs’ Achille’s heel. They left 15 runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded in multiple innings. Freedom will continue to battle and be resilient as they strive to get back into the playoffs and make an even deeper run than last season.