Kelvin Clark scored the winning run from third base on a fielder'€s choice in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the fifth-ranked Moccasins a 3-2 victory in the second game of Saturday's Sunshine State Conference doubleheader at Henley Field.
The Moccasins won the first game, 4-3, and swept the three-game series, raising their season record to 34-5, 12-3 in the SSC. Defending national champion Lynn fell to 11-28-1, 1-11 in the SSC.
Clark led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. Wade Kirkland attempted to sacrifice, but popped up to pitcher Dan Wright, who tried to double Clark off first. Wright's throw was wild and Clark wound up at third base. After an intentional walk to Tyler Benzel, Andrew Grutka hit a grounder to third. Benzel was forced at second, but Grutka was able to beat the relay throw to first, allowing Clark to score the game-winner and extend the Moccasins' winning streak to nine straight games.
Clark had scored an unearned run in the seventh to send the scheduled seven-inning game to extra innings. A double error by Lynn third baseman Matt Noble put Clark at second. He went to third on a fly out in deep right field by Kirkland, then scored on a single up the middle by Benzel, who had produced the Moccasins' first run with a solo homer in the fifth.
Gus Schlosser (7-2) went the distance on the mound for the Moccasins, as did Wright (2-6). Schlosser allowed just three hits, struck out six and walked two. Wright, last season's SSC Pitcher of the Year, almost matched Schlosser pitch-for-pitch, as he also struck out six and walked two while giving up five hits.
In the first game, the Moccasins received a strong pitching effort from Eddie Sipple, who worked seven innings to get his seventh win in eight decisions. He scattered six hits and allowed just one run, while striking out eight and walking three.
Lynn scored twice in the ninth inning against Daniel Tillman to cut the Moccasins' lead to 4-3 and had a runner at second base when Chris Chavez made the final out on a grounder to first with Tillman covering. Tillman recorded his 10th save of the season.
Drew Morgan had a solo home run, his first of the season, in the sixth inning that proved to be the difference in the game.
FSC plays a non-conference makeup game Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Saint Leo.The game was originally scheduled for Feb. 9, but was rained out.
