LAKELAND â€" Christine Clark had to be almost perfect for Florida Southern to win Thursday night, so it’s a good thing she was. Throwing the Moccasins’ first perfect game in eight years and their first 7-inning perfect game since 1998, Clark pitched Florida Southern to a 1-0 win over Florida Tech, a win made possible by Randi Grimes’ two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Facing the minimum 21 batters, Clark (18-12) struck out four in her fifth shutout of the season. Fittingly, she ended the game herself by fielding a ground ball hit back to the pitcher’s circle and tossing it to Brittany Martin at first for the final out. It was the Mocs’ first perfect game since Teri Morgan threw one of five innings against Northwood (MI) in 2003. The last Moccasin pitcher with a 7-inning perfect game was Julianne Coleman, who blanked Eckerd 2-0 on April 13, 1998.
Clark did have a couple of tense moments along the way. Sasha Stepanuik hit a ball leading off the fifth inning that centerfielder Dani Blake caught on the run in short left center. Then in the top of the sixth, Emily Densem led off that inning with a ground ball up the middle that may have nicked off Clark’s glove before being fielded by shortstop Dezirae Parsons near the bag at second. Parsons’ throw to first was just in time though, and Clark got the final five outs without incident.
As well as she pitched, it looked like Clark might have to do it a little bit longer with the game still scoreless in the bottom of the sixth. The Panthers’ own ace, Brianna Barth, had limited Florida Southern (21-20, 9-10 SSC) to just two hits through the first five innings, both of them infield singles. One came from Steph Graziani in the third, and the other came from Dani Blake in the fifth.
In the sixth, however, Karlyn Scott gave the Mocs a chance when she dropped a single into short left center to start the inning and moved to second on a ground out by Erin Foley. Martin then hit a ground ball to short that Brooke Fisher briefly bobbled before trying to get Scott at third. The throw was late, but the Panthers (23-23, 8-14) still got the out when Martin tried to advance to second. That gave Florida Southern one chance to get the run home, and Grimes delivered with a base hit up the middle that was just out of Fisher’s reach.
Barth (13-15) ended up taking the loss despite giving up just four hits in the game, striking out one and walking one. It was her fifth 1-0 loss this season.
Florida Southern and Florida Tech will complete their series with a doubleheader Friday afternoon at 1:00.
