Box Score 1
LAKELAND - Florida Southern completed its three-game Sunshine State Conference series here Saturday afternoon against Eckerd by sweeping both ends of a doubleheader at Henley Field.
In Saturday's first game, the Mocs scored two runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings to rally from a 4-2 deficit to earn a 6-5 win (Box Score) and then in the nightcap, used a near perfect-game pitching performance from junior Brian Johnson (Oldsmar, Fla.) to earn an 8-0 win (Box Score) to complete a three-game series sweep of the Tritons. The Mocs earned a 6-1 win in Friday's series opener.
With the two wins, the Mocs improve to 8-11 overall and open league play with a 3-0 record, while Eckerd falls to 10-10 overall and 0-6 in the SSC.
In the nightcap, the Mocs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to singles from senior shortstop Kyle Gibbs (Sarasota, Fla.) and redshirt freshman rightfielder Dominic Brugnoni (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) and scored its run on a throwing error by Eckerd third baseman Lee Spinelle.
That would be all the offensive support Johnson would need as was perfect for almost six innings until the Tritons broke up Johnson's bid for both a perfect game and no-hitter on an infield single EC's No. 9 hitter, Audry Santana. Johnson, though, would get out of the inning by striking out Jake O'Rourke to end the inning. In the seventh, Johnson retired the Tritons in order as he faced one batter over the minimum in the win.
Johnson, who improved to 2-1 on the season, allowed just that single hit, while striking out six and walking none. It marked the first one-hit complete game for a Moccasin pitcher since Trey Ennis allowed just one hit against American International in a seven inning game on March 15, 2002.
The Mocs would give Johnson's pitching gem some more offense in the second inning as they recorded five hits and scored six runs to take a 7-0 lead. The big hit in the inning was a 3-run triple down the right field line by sophomore leftfielder Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.). The other RBIs in the inning were recorded by junior second baseman Conor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.), Gibbs and Brugnoni.
FSC added to its run total in the fourth inning on an lead-off homer by Curcio off of Eckerd starting pitcher Andrew Pierson.
Curcio finished the game with two hits, two runs scored and 4 RBIs, while Gibbs and Brugnoni each had two hits in the win. The Mocs recorded nine hits in the game.
Pierson (1-3) took the loss for the Tritons as he threw four innings and allowed eight hits and eight runs (six earned), while walking two and fanning two. The Tritons defense committed three errors for the game.
Meanwhile, in the first game, the Mocs were outhit 10-7, but took advantage of two Eckerd errors to score three unearned runs in the victory.
FSC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of first inning thanks to a two-out, 2-run single by junior designated hitter T.J. Kuban (Valencia, Pa.). Kuban's single came one play after Eckerd kept the inning alive with a fielding error by Triton shortstop Rowdy Andrews. Kuban's single plated Curcio and Brugnoni.
Eckerd put two runners on base with one out in the second inning, but junior starting pitcher Alex Norris (Clearwater, Fla.) got out of the jam by retiring the next hitters in order to keep the score 2-0.
The Tritons would tie the game in the third inning on a 2-run homer over the left field wall by Mike Vavasis off of Norris.
Eckerd would take a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning thanks to two hits and an error by Szczerba at second base that plated two unearned runs. The error by Szczerba was his first of the season. The big hit in the inning was an RBI triple by Keegan Oberer, while the Tritons other run came home on an RBI single by Mike Abraham.
The Mocs would begin its rally in the bottom of the sixth inning as they plated two runs without the benefit of a hit to tie the game a 4-all. In the inning, senior first baseman Kyle Jackson (Avon Park, Fla.) and Kuban each drew one out walks that chased EC's starting pitcher Kevin Plant from the game. Plant was replaced by Jared Habershaw and he hit the first batter he faced, senior catcher Brad Carlton (Arcadia, Fla.) to load the bases. The Mocs first run of the inning came from the next batter as junior third baseman Jimmy Correnti (Fort Myers, Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Jackson. After the third Eckerd pitcher of the inning Kyle Harding hit redshirt junior centerfielder J.J. Downum (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) to reload the bases, Szczerba drove home the second run as he drew a bases loaded walk.
In the seventh inning, the Mocs scored two more runs to take a 6-4 lead as redshirt freshman Christian Magno (Longwood, Fla.) delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to left field that plated Curcio, who had reached on a single up the midde. The Mocs second run came as a result of another Eckerd error as Carlton reached on a throwing error by Harding that allowed Jackson to score from third base for the game's sixth run. Jackson had reached base earlier in the inning on a fielder's choice.
The Tritons, though, would once again dent the scoreboard in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI groundout by Matt McMahon off of junior reliever Steven Burnham (Valrico, Fla.).
FSC would seal the win in the ninth as junior closer Nate Carter (Boca Raton, Fla.) allowed just one hit in the ninth and retired the other three hitters he faced to record his second save of the season.
In the game, six Mocs recorded hits, including Curcio going 2-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored. Eckerd had three players record two hits as Abraham, O'Rouke and Tyler Abadal in the loss.
Junior Nick Krolczyk (Coral Springs, Fla.), who improved to 1-2 on the season, earned the win in relief of Norris as he pitched 2.1 innings and allowed three hits and one earned run, while walking none and striking out three. Norris earned a no-decison as he threw five innings and allowed just five hits and two runs (one earned), while walking one and fanning four.
Harding (1-1) took the loss in relief for the Tritons as he pitched 1.1 innings and allowed two hits and two runs (one earned), while walking one and striking out one.
The Mocs will return to action on Wednesday, March 13 as they face the defending American League Champion Detroit Tigers in a exhibition game. The game wil begin at 1:05 p.m. at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland.
