Mocs Take Advantage of Costly Eckerd Errors to Win Conference Opener

LAKELAND â€" Florida Southern took advantage of six Triton errors to improve to 6-11 overall after winning their Sunshine State Conference opener, 6-1, over Eckerd, who fell to 10-8 overall and 0-4 in the conference, here at Henley Field. 

The game was back and forth through the first three innings but Eckerd would threaten first, in the top of the fourth with two outs and bases loaded. Starting Moc pitcher Clay Chapman (Orlando, Fla.) would walk the first batter of the inning to get the Tritons offense going. After Triton batter number two flied out to center field, catcher Brad Carlton (Arcadia, Fla.) would pick-off the lone Eckerd runner at first for the second out. The Tritons however would get their next three batters on base as Chapman walked the next batter he faced and then gave up back-to-back singles. Chapman would get himself out of the jam as he got the next batter to pop-up to the pitcher.

With no damage done in the top of the fourth the Mocs would get on board first an inning and half later scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Carlton would lead of the inning reaching first on a fielding error by the shortstop and would move over to second a batter later as Christian Magno (Longwood, Fla.) laid down a sacrifice bunt. Jimmy Correnti (Fort Myers, Fla.) would single moving Carlton to third; after J.J. Downum (Land O’Lakes, Fla.) would load the bases getting walked. Conor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.) reached first on a fielding error by the Tritons’ shortstop, scoring Carlton for the game’s first run. The Mocs would get one more run in the fifth as Kyle Gibbs (Sarasota, Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Correnti before the inning would end.

Chapman, who struck out nine batters during his seven innings of work, would retire the next three Triton batters in the top of the sixth, striking out two before the Mocs would add two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs and Dominic Brugnoni (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) on first, the Mocs would load the bases for the second straight inning and score two runs on a fielding error, once again, by the shortstop on a shot from Downum. Brugnoni and Magno would both score on the play.

The Mocs’ and Chapman’s shutout would end in the top of the seventh as the Tritons placed two runners on base and were then put in scoring position on a passed ball by FSC. Chapman would strike out the next two hitters looking to get himself out of the jam but a wild pitch on the next batter would score the Tritons’ lone run. However Chapman would earn his last strikeout of the game on the next batter, fanning all three batters in the seventh.

Leading the game 4-1 the Mocs would add an insurance run in both the bottom of the seventh and eighth inning. Both runs would come after two more errors by the shortstop and all six of FSC’s runs in the game were unearned. Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.) would steal home in the seventh while Correnti got walked home after reaching on a fielder’s choice. 

FSC’s pitching staff would record a total of 11 strikeouts in the game with relief pitchers Austin Jackson (Deltona, Fla.), who pitched the eighth, and Nate Carter (Boca Raton, Fla.), who finished the game, both fanning one. In addition to fanning nine, starting pitch Chapman would allow only five hits and one earned run; he improved to 2-3 on the season.

Offensively the Mocs were led by Gibbs and Correnti. Gibbs would go three-of-three, tallying two RBI while Correnti went two-of-three with two runs scored.

Earning the loss for the Tritons was Jordan Huchro, who fell to 2-3 on the season. Huchro struck out two Moc batters and gave up seven of the nine Moccasin hits. Eckerd’s pitching staff allowed no earned runs on the night as their defense tallied six errors.

The three game series between the two teams will conclude tomorrow in a doubleheader scheduled for the first of the two games to start at 1:00 p.m. back out at Henley Field.