Mocs Drops Both Games of Todayâ?' Doubleheader Against Lynn for First Conference Losses

BOCA RATON â€" Florida Southern went into today’s doubleheader with a 6-0 Sunshine State Conference record but their unblemished conference record fell today as Lynn defeated the Moccasins, 4-3 (Box Score) in game one and 6-0 (Box Score) in game two here on the baseball field at the campus of Lynn University; with the two losses the Mocs fall to 12-13 overall and 6-2 in SSC action.

In the first game both starting pitchers battled in a close duel as the Mocs’ starter, Clay Chapman went 7.1 while the Fighting Knights’ starter, Joe Perrotta, went 8 innings.

Lynn struck first in the contest hitting three singles in the first inning after the Mocs had already recorded two outs. Ryan Lashley, who started the short barrage of hits, was finally knocked in, from second, on a single to centerfield by Paul Stortini.

The Mocs would then take over the lead in the top of the fourth after Keith Curcio led off the inning by being walked. He would advance around to third on a single by Dominic Brugnoni before being knocked in on a single through the right side by Kyle Jackson. Brugnoni would then come around to score the second run of the inning for the Mocs after moving over to third on a wild pitch and crossing home plate due to a throwing error by the second baseman, who was trying to get Jimmy Correnti out at first. The Knights would finally get the Mocs out of the inning, but only after surrendering their lead, 2-1.

FSC’s lead wouldn't hold the lead for long as Stortini ledoff the bottom of the fourth reaching and advancing to second on a throwing error by Chapman. Later on, Stortini would cross the plate on a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the score at 2.

In the sixth, the Mocs would retake the lead. Brugnoni, who went 2-of-4 in the game and scored two runs, would leadoff the inning with a double. After a wild pitch advanced him to third, Jackson would once again score Burgnoni, this time for the Mocs third and final run of the game.

With the game winding down, the Fighting Knights would live up to their name and come back with one out in the eighth inning. Lynn scored two runs in the inning to regain the lead and defeat the Mocs 4-3.

Steven Burnham (2-2), who came in during the eighth in relief for Chapman, earned the loss as he pitched 0.2 innings giving up two hits and one run. Chapman went 7.1 innings, fanned six, gave up five hits and tallied two earned runs.

The Mocs' offense was paced by Brugnoni, Jackson, who was 1-of-4 with two RBI, and Correnti, who went 2-of-4 at the plate.

Meanwhile the second game had a much different feel as Lynn jumped on starter Brian Johnson and the Moccasins early. Johnson, who had earned the last two SSC Pitcher of the Week honors, pitched a complete game giving up 10 hits, six runs (five earned) walking one and fanning only one in the nightcap.

The Knights tallied two runs in both the first and second inning taking an early 4-0 lead. Even though the Mocs offense wasn’t clicking like in game one, Conor Szczerba got the best chance to score for a Moc in the nightcap as he led off the game with a walk and advanced all the way around to third before the inning was over.

The Mocs only tallied three hits in the game receiving one from Christian Magno (1-of-3) in the bottom of the second and two from Correnti (2-of-3), a single in the fifth and a double in the seventh. 

Earning the complete game shutout was Lynn’s Kentrail Pierce. He faced 27 batters, fanned four, walked four and allowed only three hits.

Florida Southern and Lynn will get back to action Saturday afternoon as they complete the weekend series with a single nine inning that will begin at 12 p.m.