Baseball Beats Seminole State in Walk Off Fashion
February 24, 2023

Baseball Beats Seminole State in Walk Off Fashion

Video Box Score

By Pat Clines

Bradenton, Fla - Sophomore Lucas Ismaili played the hero for the SCF baseball team (12-10) as the Manatees defeated Seminole State College of Florida (12-6) 6-5 at Wynn Field.

 
Head coach Tim Hill II sent freshman Ed Wagner to the mound, while Seminole State head coach Mike Nicholson went with sophomore Tyler Van Dyke.
 
After a scoreless first, the Raiders would get on the board at the top of the second after a sacrifice fly by redshirt freshman Dario Astudillo before Wagner got out of the inning.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Manatees would get on the board beginning with sophomore Liam Moreno reaching second on a fielding error before moving to third. After classmate Brayden Woodburn drew a walk, sophomore Kevin Karstetter would send a double to left to bring in Moreno and tie the game at one apiece. Ismaili would give the Manatees the lead with a single to right to bring in Woodburn before sophomore Mario Lopez,  Jr would bring in Karstetter with an RBI groundout to make it 3-1 SCF.
 
The Raiders would get a run in at the top of the fourth thanks to a fielder's choice by redshirt freshman Jason Ambos to cut the Manatees lead down to 3-2. The Manatees would respond back and bring the lead back up after an RBI single by Woodburn drove in Moreno to make it 4-2 SCF.
 
In the eighth, Hill would make a pitching change as he sent sophomore Richie Morales to the mound to get a scoreless inning. Nicholson would also make a change and send redshirt freshman Conor Hensley. Both would get out of the inning.
 
At the top of the ninth, the Raiders would not go away quietly as they would regain the lead thanks to a solo home run by freshman Kishon Frett (seventh of the season) and a two-run homer by redshirt freshman Jason Ambos (second of the season). Morales would still get out of the inning after that.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, the Manatees put together one last burst of energy to go for the win. After Moreno lead off the inning with a walk before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Erick Almonte and a Woodburn groundout, Karstetter would send a triple to left center to bring in Moreno and tie the game at 5-5. All eyes turned to the former Pittsburgh Panther and on a 1-1 count, he would send a single to left center and bring in Karstetter for a Manatee win.
 
Wagner and Van Dyke would both earn no-decisions in seven innings. Wagner gave up two runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts, while Van Dyke gave up four runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
 
Morales would earn his second win of the season after giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits in two innings of relief.
 
Hensley threw one scoreless inning of relief with two walks and a strikeout, while freshman Michael Marrero, who came in at the top of the ninth, would be hit with his first loss of the season and a blown save after giving up two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning of relief.
 
Five Manatees had two hits apiece. Karstetter (2-for-5, two runs scored) and Ismaili (2-for-5) each had two RBI, while Woodburn (2-for-4) had one RBI and one walk, Lopez, Jr (2-for-4) had one RBI and Moreno (2-for-3) had three runs and a walk. Almonte (one walk) and sophomore Austin Dearing (two walks) also contributed in the game.
 
Frett lead all the Raiders in hitting as he went 2-for-4 with a home run. He was the only player on the Raiders with a multi-hit game. Ambos was 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI and lead all Raiders in RBI.
 
Other Suncoast Scores:
Polk State (10-9) fell to former Suncoast Conference member RV Florida Southwestern (11-7) by a score of 12-1. The Eagles will take on Rollins College JV Saturday afternoon, February 25 at 1 pm.
 
Hillsborough (9-9) fell to Indian River State (11-4) by a score of 7-1. The Hawks will take on Miami Dade College (11-6-1) Saturday afternoon, February 25 at 2 pm.
 
Up Next:
The Manatees will head to the east coast of Florida as they travel to Melbourne to take on Eastern Florida State (5-10) Saturday afternoon, February 25 at 2 pm.