Box Score The Moccasins' Eddie Sipple worked out of a ninth-inning jam to preserve a 7-5 season-opening win over St. Thomas Friday night at Henley Field.
Sipple, used exclusively as a starter last season, struck out Ricky Claudio with runners at second and third to end the game after the Bobcats had scored three times in the inning. Sipple had recorded the final two outs in the eighth on strikeouts and wound up striking out the side in the ninth, but he also walked two and gave up three hits.
Newcomer Mike Snyder, a transfer from Ole Miss, had an impressive debut for the Mocs with three hits, including a two-run triple to cap a four-run fifth inning that put FSC ahead.
Single runs in the seventh and eighth, both driven in by Colin Kish, proved to be the difference in the game. Kish, returning after an injury sidelined him for all but nine games last season, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh and one in the eighth with a single. He had a third RBI with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Tyler Benzel and Cory Jensen each had two hits for the Mocs, while Colin Kaline was on base four times and scored twice. Kaline walked three times and was hit by a pitch.
Gus Schlosser made the pitching start for FSC and worked six innings to get the win. He gave up just three hits and two runs, struck out four and walked three.
The Moccasins and St. Thomas play a doubleheader Saturday at 2 p.m. at Henley Field.
