A three-run rally in the top of the seventh and standout work from the bullpen combined to give the sixth-ranked Moccasins an 8-6 win over Barry in the opening game of their three-game Sunshine State Conference series Friday night at Miami Shores.
The win allowed the Moccasins (28-5, 7-3 SSC) to move ahead of the Buccaneers (22-9, 6-4) into sole possession of second place in the SSC.
The Moccasins had scored three runs in the second and two in the fourth to take a 5-2 lead before Barry scored a run in the fifth and added three in the sixth to pull ahead 6-5.
RBI-singles by Wade Kirkland, Tyler Benzel and Andrew Grutka in the seventh allowed the Moccasins to re-gain the lead and the bullpen took over from there. Jake Guengerich, Ryan Wolfe and Daniel Tillman allowed no runs and no hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Guengerich, who took over in the sixth from starter Max Russell, picked up the win to improve his record to 2-1. Wolfe pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning and Tillman struck out the side in a perfect ninth to record his eighth save of the season.
Trae Gore and Kyle Gibbs each had three hits and drove in two runs in the game. Benzel and Grutka each had two hits and drove in a run, with Benzel extending his hitting streak to nine straight games.
The two teams play a doubleheader Saturday at noon.
