Baseball Splits @ FSW

Fort Myers, Fla - Despite not winning the series, the SCF baseball team (17-9, 7-5 Citrus) were able to split their doubleheader with #11 Florida Southwesterm (20-6, 8-4 Citrus) winning game one 2-0 before losing game two 15-14.

Game One:

Hill II sent freshman Lochlan Radloff (3-1, 3.16 ERA) to start game one of the doubleheader, while FSW head coach Zac Cole went with freshman Andrew McLaughlin (5-0, 1.82 ERA) to counter.

It was a pitcher's duel between Radloff and McLauglin as both pitcher combined eight strikeouts in the first four innings of the game while allowing no runs to cross home. 

Eventually, the Manatees would get McLaughlin to buckle first at the top of the fifth. After freshman Ben Ryan, redshirt sophomore Connor O'Sullivan and sophomore Luke Boykin each hit a single to load the bases, freshman Clayton Evans would line a single to right and bring in Ryan before O'Sullivan scored the second run off of a double play to make it 2-0 SCF before sealing the seven inning win.

Radloff would improve to 4-1 after throwing a four-hit shutout with one walk and six strikeouts for his third complete game of the season and his second straight shutout.

McLaughin would fall to 5-1 after giving up two runs on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts in six and a third innings. Redshirt sophomore Josiah Velazquez would throw two-thirds of a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts.

Evans (1-for-1, one RBI and one walk), Ryan (1-for-2, one run and one walk), O'Sullivan (1-for-3, one run), Boykin (1-for-3) and sophomore Mario Trivella (1-for-3, one stolen base) each had one of the Manatees five hits.

Game Two:

Looking to go for the series win in the rubber game, Hill II sent sophomore Oscar Hernandez (4-2, 2.01 ERA) to start the second game of the doubleheader, while Cole went with redshirt freshman Parker Burgess (2-0, 2.00 ERA) to counter.

The Manatees would reach on the scoreboard first at the top of the first as sophomore Allan Gil Fernandez would send a two-run homer to center to bring in freshman Mattie Counts for his fourth home run of the season. The Buccaneers would respond with an eight-run inning off of five errors by the Manatees while rattling Hernandez before he could get the second. This would have redshirt freshman Cole Dement, who would get a pickoff and a strikeout.

The Manatees would try to respond in the second as sophomore CJ Richard would send a single to left to bring in freshman Bernard Barnes, however, the Buccaneers would respond with a solo home run by redshirt sophomore Nick Pereira for his second of the season to make it 10-3 FSW.

After a scoreless third, the Manatees would put another run on the board, freshman Holden Brauner would hit an RBI single to right to bring in Counts at the top of the fourth. Two innings later, the Manatees would start up a rally beginning with a leadoff walk by Barnes before Richard reached on a fielder's choice as Barnes was called out at second. After Counts bunted for a single and the Buccaneers changed pitchers, Gil Fernandez would send a single to left to bring in Richard. Brauner would then hit a double to bring in Counts before Gil Fernandez scored on a wild pitch. Following sophomore Hayden Gustavson was hit by a pitch, Trivella would send a double to center to bring in Brauner and Gustavson to tie the game at 10-10.

FSW would then retake the lead after an RBI single by freshman Evan Androvett in the bottom of the seventh. The Manatees would respond at the top of the eighth as Barnes would send a sacrifice fly to right to bring in Gustavson to make it 11-11, but FSW would make it 12-11 after an RBI single by sophomore Luke Orfi.

At the top of the ninth, the Manatees would not go down without a fight. After a one-out walk by Gil Fernandez, Brauner would not hold back on his power as he sent a two-run homer to right for his second of the season. One batter later, Trivella would show his power as he sent a solo home run to right for his fourth of the season for a 14-11 lead, however it would be short lived as FSW would walk it off with a single down the middle for the series win.

Hernandez and Burgess would each earn a no-decision. Hernandez would give up eight runs (one earned) on four hits in one-third of an inning, while Burgess gave up three runs on three hits with four walks and two strikeouts in two innings.

Freshman Austin Monahan would be hit with the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits in one inning of relief. Dement gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings of relief.

Redshirt freshman Beau Bailey would improve to 2-0 after throwing one-third of a scoreless inning of relief.

Four Manatees had a multi-hit game with three having three hits. It was Brauner that would lead the way offensively as he went 3-for-6 with a home run, two runs and four RBI. Gil Fernandez (3-for-4, three runs scored) and Trivella (3-for-5, two runs scored) also followed with three hits each with a home run and three RBI, while Counts rounded out the multi-hit order going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, three walks and one stolen base.

Ryan (1-for-6, one RBI), O'Sullivan (1-for-4, one walk) and Richard (1-for-5, one RBI and one run) had the remaining hits.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. Polk State (17-11, 9-3)

2. #11 Florida Southwestern (20-6, 8-4)

3. #13 Indian River State (17-7, 8-4)

4. #7 College of Central Florida (19-6, 7-5)

5. Seminole State College of Florida (17-9, 7-5)

6. SCF (17-9, 7-5)

7. Eastern Florida State (16-10, 6-6)

8. Miami Dade (11-13, 5-7)

9. Hillsborough (11-13, 5-7)

10. Santa Fe (12-14, 5-7)

11. Daytona State (6-17, 4-8)

12. St. Pete (3-21, 1-11)

Up Next:

The Manatees return home for their next game as they welcome St. Pete (3-21, 1-11 Citrus) to Wynn Field Monday night, March 10 at 6 pm for another non-conference matchup against a conference team before they face Miami Dade (11-13, 5-7 Citrus) in their next conference series.