Box Score
LAKELAND - Florida Southern’s home winning streak stayed intact as the Moccasins earned their 13th straight home victory, and their third extra inning game of the season, after defeating Palm Beach Atlantic, 6-5, in 11 innings here at Henley Field. The Moccasins, who are 13-1 at home and 0-13 on the road, improved to 13-14 overall with the non-conference match-up against PBA; while the Sailfish fall to 18-12 overall with the loss.
The Mocs had their backs against the wall twice tonight, down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth as well as being down 5-4 in the bottom of the tenth, but both times the offense found a way to rally and come up with the victory in the bottom of the eleventh.
In the bottom of the eleventh, tied at 5-5, the Mocs would get man on first after Jimmy Correnti was walked by relief pitcher Matt Niedzwiecki. Alejandro de Moya came in to relieve Niedzwiecki, who had pitched two innings while facing one batter in the 11th; he retired the next FSC batters before facing Mocs’ shortstop Kyle Gibbs. It looked as if the game would possibly go into a 12th inning as Gibbs popped up to shallow right field. Making a play for the ball was the Sailfish’s second-baseman. The PBA player appeared to corral the ball in his glove on the otherwise routine pop-up but slid in the process and had the ball squirt out of his glove after making the catch. Gibbs reached on the error and Correnti who was at first at the beginning of the play, wheeled it around the bases and crossed home-plate to end the game.
Both in the ninth and 10th innings the Mocs had to rally to stay in the game. In the ninth, down 4-3, the Mocs would get their first two hitters, Christian Magno and pinch hitter Michael Anthony on base. PBA starter Nic Kovacs allowed both runners to reach base; after facing those two batters, Niedzwiecki came in to try to earn the save and keep the PBA win intact. Correnti would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. With one out PBA decided to intentionally walk pinch-hitter Dominic Brugnoni, loading the bases for the Mocs. Conor Szczerba who had knocked in, two of the Mocs three runs up to this point, reached on a fielder’s choice as the Sailfish were unable to turn a double play. The close play at first allowed Magno to score and tie the game at 4-4 for the Mocs.
Again going into the bottom of the tenth the Mocs were in the same position as they were in the ninth after giving up a lead-off homerun in the bottom of the inning to hand PBA a 5-4 lead. Keith Curcio led off the inning for the Mocs, reaching on a single to right field. After Colin Kish popped up to the catcher on a bunt attempt, Curcio stole second then advanced to third due to a fielding error by the shortstop on the pick-off attempt. The Mocs had their tying run 90 feet from home with just one out; however, Kyle Jackson would strike out swinging. Down to their final out a hit wasn’t even needed to score Curcio, as Curcio crossed home plate for the tying run on a wild pitch by the pitcher. Magno ended up walking but Arturo Tabales would strike out looking, to end the tenth inning.
Both teams never scored more than one run in an inning during the game as PBA got on the board first, scoring their first run of the game in the third. The Mocs added a run of their own in the third as well keeping the game tied but the Sailfish would tally one run each in the next two innings to take a 3-1 lead. FSC added run in the fifth inning as well. PBA went back up by two in the top of the seventh but FSC would match the run in the bottom of the seventh closing the gap to just one before the Mocs would eventually tie it up in the ninth.
Earning the win for the Mocs was Steven Burnham, 3-2 on the season, who came into the game in the top of the 11th. He faced three batters, struck out one and allowed no runs. He was one of six Moccasin pitchers to see action during the 11 inning contest. It was Burnham’s second game on the season won in extra innings as he earned a 12 inning victory against Barry. Ironically all three of the Mocs’ extra inning wins have ended with a score of 6-5.
Receiving the loss was Niedzwiecki, who fell to 1-2 on the season. Niedzwiecki gave up to two runs, only one earned, after replacing starter Nic Kovacs two batters deep into the ninth.
It looked like it was going to be a pitcher’s duel early between Kovacs and Mocs’ starter Clay Chapman, who fanned two and allowed two earned runs in 3.1 innings of work, but Chapman had to leave the game in the third after a hard line drive came back towards the mound. Chapman wasn’t hit on the play but was shaken up trying to field the ball, coming back across his body to try to make the catch.
Offensively the Mocs were paced by Conor Szczerba, who went 3-of-6 with three RBI and one run scored on the night. Correnti who scored the winning run went 1-of-3, while earning one walk and laying down a sacrifice bunt.
The Mocs and Sailfish will get back to action out at Henley field once again tomorrow, March 30, at 1:00 p.m. for a doubleheader contest to end the three game series. FSC will look to add onto its home winning streak and get back above .500 on the season.
