Box Score 1
LAKELAND - Florida Southern concluded its three-game non-conference weekend series here Saturday with Palm Beach Atlantic by splitting a doubleheader at Henley Field.
The Moccasins opened the doubleheader by posting a 9-2 win (Box Score), before suffering a 7-3 loss (Box Score) in the nightcap. The loss in the nightcap snapped the Mocs 14-game home winning streak. After losing its first home game of the season on Feb. 5 to Saint Leo, the Mocs reeled off 14 straight home wins, including sweeping Sunshine State Conference series' against Eckerd and Barry, before Saturday's setback against PBA.
With the doubleheader split, the Mocs record moves to 14-15 on the season, while PBA improves to 19-13 overall.
In Saturday's first game, four Mocs had multiple hits, including sophomore leftfielder Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.) going 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and two runs scored. Senior first baseman Kyle Jackson (Avon Park, Fla.), redshirt freshman rightfielder Christian Magno (Longwood, Fla.) and junior centerfielder J.J. Downum (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) each had two hits in the win.
PBA loaded the bases in the first inning on two walks and a hit batsman, but junior Alex Norris (Clearwater, Fla.) prevented any runs as he struck out Matt Perkowski to end the inning with the bases loaded.
The Sailfish jumped in front 1-0 in the second inning on an RBI single to right by Anthony Ortiz that plated Karl Kapinos, who doubled to left center with one out and advanced to third on a Norris wild pitch.
The Mocs plated two runs in the bottom of the third inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of senior shortstop Kyle Gibbs (Sarasota, Fla.) and an RBI single by Curcio to take a 2-1 lead. Curcio's single plated Downum, who broke up Andres Lopez's no-hit bid with an infield single earlier in the inning.
FSC sent nine batters to the plate in the sixth inning and scored four runs on five hits to take a 6-1 lead. In the inning, Curcio got the scoring started on an RBI double to left center that plated Gibbs, who had walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by Lopez. The other three runs were driven home on RBI singles by Jackson, junior third baseman Jimmy Correnti (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Downum.
Correnti scored two runs in the game and drew two walks, while Gibbs had two RBIs.
Jackson drove in another run in the seventh inning on a single to right field off of PBA reliever Stefano Bucciol that pushed the Mocs lead to 7-1. Jackson's single plated Curcio, who was hit by a pitch with one out and then stole second for his 20th stolen base of the season before scoring.
The Mocs added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI groundout by Gibbs off of PBA reliever Kevin Bartlett and an RBI single up the middle by Curcio.
PBA completed the game's scoring in the ninth inning as they used four walks and a hit batsman to score a run to drop the Mocs lead to 9-2. In the inning, senior reliever Jack Sterritt (Ponte Verde, Fla.) walked three and hit a batter, while senior reliever Matt Fuglesang (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) walked one and ended the game by forcing Perkowski to ground out to end the contest.
Norris (1-2) earned the win for the Mocs as he went 6.1 innings as he allowed six hits and one run, while walking two and striking out six.
PBA, who recorded seven hits in the game, was paced by a 3-for-3 effort at the plate by Anthony Ortiz. Sean Visconti had two hits for the Sailfish.
Lopez (4-3) took the loss for PBA as he pitched six innings and allowed seven hits and six runs, while walking three and fanning two.
In the nightcap, PBA jumped in front 1-0 as Perkowski, who reached on a one-out triple down the right field line, scored a wild pitch from junior hurler Brian Johnson (Oldsmar, Fla.).
The Sailfish would hold the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth inning as the Mocs sent nine batters to the plate and scored three runs to take a 3-1 lead. In the inning, Gibbs drove in the first run with his RBI single through the right side, while senior Austin Jackson (Deltona, Fla.), who started in left field, recorded his first career RBI as he drew a bases loaded walk from PBA starting pitcher Jonathan Kies and the final run was driven home by Kyle Jackson on his infield single to second base,
Austin Jackson, who pitched in last night's first game of the series, recorded his first career hit in the fourth inning of the nightcap.
The Sailfish retook the lead in the sixth inning on a 3-run homer over the left field wall by Bobby Kissner off of Johnson. It was the fourth homer of the season allowed by Johnson.
In the seventh inning, PBA pushed three runs across the plate to take a 7-3 lead. The big hit in the inning was a two-run single to right field by A.J. Steimel off of Johnson.
PBA's Kies retired the Mocs in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to seal his team's win and prevent a series sweep.
Johnson (3-3) took the loss for the Mocs as he pitched seven innings and allowed eight hits and seven runs (six earned), while walking one and striking out four. The Mocs defense committed three errors in the nightcap.
Kies (5-1) earned the win as he pitched seven innings and scattered eight hits and allowed three runs (two earned), while walking two and striking out six. PBA committed two errors in the game.
Gibbs led the way offensively for the Mocs in the nightcap as he went 3-for-4 at the plate, while also scoring a run and driving in a run.
Perkowski and Steimel each had two hits for the Sailfish, while Perkowski and Andres Vazquez each scored two runs in the win.
The Mocs will return to action on Tuesday, April 2 as they travel to Lake Wales for a 3 p.m. non-conference game at Warner University. The Mocs picked up a 13-5 win over the Royals in Lakeland on Feb. 12.
