LAKELAND â€" Now, to the matter at hand. After 9-0 and 9-4 wins over Flagler, Florida Southern can at last turn its attention to a season-ending series with the University of Tampa, one that will likely decide the Sunshine State Conference title. As for Saturday’s doubleheader with Flagler, the 17th-ranked Moccasins got a home run and four RBI from Angela Williams in game one, and a big three-run triple from Lindsey Powell in game two to extend their winning streak to eight games.
Considering what’s ahead on the schedule for next week, it would have been easy for the Moccasins (41-11) to look past a non-conference doubleheader with a first-year program. That didn’t happen as the Mocs’ took charge with three runs in the bottom of the first, three in the bottom of the second and three more in the bottom of the third to win game one by the eight-run rule.
Brittany Minton was the beneficiary of the early scoring, and tossed a complete game shutout for her 16th win of the season. The senior allowed five hits, struck out three and walked one as her teammates backed her with 12 hits.
Williams came to the plate once in each of the first three innings and drove in a run in all three of her at-bats. Another of the Moccasin seniors who were playing their final regular season home games, Williams launched a two-run homer in the first before delivering RBI singles in the second and third. The home run was her eighth of the season and the 16th of her career, tying the Mocs’ all-time record set by Wanda Graham from 1990-93.
Williams wasn’t the only Moccasin with three hits, nor was she the only one with a perfect game at the plate. Sara Lovestrand went three-for-four, and her two-run single in the third gave the Mocs an eight-run lead before she later scored on one a hit by Williams. Powell also reached base three times, with a single and two walks in her three trips to the plate.
It was Powell who gave Florida Southern its first run with an RBI single after Peggy Alex walked and stole second with one out in the bottom of the first inning. Powell then walked and scored again in the second inning, this time coming home on an error after a pair of two-out RBI singles by Alex and Williams had already given the Mocs a 5-0 lead.
After scoring three runs in each of the first three innings, the Mocs had a chance to score three more in the bottom of the fourth when they loaded the bases on hits by Bethany Boomer, Dani Blake and Lovestrand. They were denied, however, as Flagler leftfielder Brittany Hatem took away at least a double from Alex with a diving catch down the line for the final out of the inning.
The Moccasins had a more difficult time in game two, as the Saints (17-30) stayed within striking distance until Powell’s bases-clearing triple in the sixth inning made the score 9-3. It was Powell’s second hit of the game and the sixth time she reached base with a hit or a walk in the doubleheader.
Sam Boatner, who played at nearby Auburndale High School and Polk Community College, kept the Moccasins off the scoreboard in the first inning, but her two-out throwing error in the second proved costly. It came on a ball hit by Blake and allowed both Ashley Hunt and Heather Raulerson to score. Blake ended up at third on the play and scored as part of a double steal with Lovestrand, giving the Mocs a 3-0 lead.
Flagler got one run back in the top of the third when Kaley King tripled and scored on a bloop single by Hatem. They got another one back in the fourth when Boatner singled and scored on a base hit by Andy Hay. Lovestrand then made a spectacular leaping catch to rob Kirsten Immel and preserve the Mocs’ 3-2 lead.
The Mocs re-gained their three-run advantage in the bottom of the fourth, with the help of a leadoff single by Hunt and a bunt single by Blake. They turned them into runs when Alex doubled and Williams later walked with the bases loaded. It could have been worse, but Boatner somehow stopped a line drive hit by Natalie Lang, kept it on the infield and threw her out at first for the final out of the inning.
The Saints scored again in the top of the fifth inning, cutting into the lead, but Powell widened the gap once more in the sixth with her three-run triple. It came after Blake and Lovestrand had singled and Alex was hit by a pitch to loaded the bases. Powell then scored the final run on a ground out by Lang.
Morgan Brown earned the win for Florida Southern with help from Christine Clark. Brown went the first four innings plus one batter in the fifth, and gave up three runs on seven hits. The win upped her record to 12-2. Clark relieved her after Hatem had doubled leading off the top of the fifth, and gave up a walk and a single two the first two batters she faced. She settled down after that, retired the next seven Flagler batters, and gave up only an unearned run with two out in the seventh. It was Clark’s third save of the season.
The two wins allowed Florida Southern to go 21-1 at home this year, but the Moccasins and their four graduating seniors may not have seen the last of Barnett Field in 2009. Currently ranked #2 in the South Region, Florida Southern is in line to host one half of the regional tournament. Before then, however, the Mocs first have to deal with the University of Tampa on April 24 and 25. The Mocs are 17-4 in SSC play, while Tampa is 12-4 heading into its 3-game series with Barry.
Florida Southern and Tampa will play a single game next Friday night at 6:00, and a doubleheader on Saturday at 1:00.
