Clay Chapmanâ?' Complete Game Helps Mocs to Win in Series Opener Against Rollins

LAKELAND - Thanks to a complete game pitching effort on the mound from junior Clay Chapman and an offense that had five hits and scored four runs, Florida Southern opened its final series of the season here Thursday afternoon with a 4-2 win over Rollins in Sunshine State Conference action at Henley Field.

In Thursday's game, Chapman (4-6) retired the first 12 batters he faced in order, before losing his bid for a perfect game, no-hitter and shutout in the fifth inning as the Tars plated a run and then added a second run in the sixth inning, but the Tars would do no further damage as the 6-foot righthander from Orlando retired the final 10 batters he faced in order to earn his team-leading fourth win of the season, pitch his second career complete game and help the Mocs snap a six-game losing skid.

With the win, the Mocs improve to 17-27 overall and 9-13 in the SSC, while Rollins fell to 23-22-1 overall and 8-13-1 in the SSC.

For the game, Chapman scattered three hits and allowed two runs, while walking two and striking out seven. It marked the 10th time this season that Chapman had struck out 5 or more batters in a game. 

In addition to Chapman's strong pitching, the Mocs offense scored single runs in four innings and also took advantage of four Rollins errors to score its four runs in the game. For the game, five different Mocs recorded a hit, including sophomore third baseman Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.) delivering just his second triple of the season with one out in the sixth inning. With his one hit, Curcio pushed his season total to a team-leading 56.

The Mocs jumped on top 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning as senior designated hitter Colin Kish (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored on a passed ball by Tars catcher Evan Rivera. In the inning, Kish had reached on a one-out single and advanced to third when senior first baseman Kyle Jackson (Avon Park, Fla.) reached on a fielding error by Tars second baseman Steve Betcherman. After Rollins' starting pitcher Anthony Figliolia loaded the bases with a walk to senior leftfielder Austin Jackson (Deltona, Fla.), Kish scored an unearned run on Rivera's passed ball.

FSC's lead grew to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning as Curcio led off the inning by reaching on another fielding error by Betcherman. He would move to second on a ground out by Kish and advanced to third on another passed ball by Rivera before scoring the game's second run on an RBI single through the right side by Kyle Jackson. The RBI was Jackson's team-leading 31st of the season.

Rollins broke up Chapman's bid for a perfect game and shutout in the fifth inning as Matt Hendricks led off the inning with a double to right center and would score on batter later on an RBI single up the middle by Hunter Mayfield. After Thomas Kelly struck out for the first out of the inning, Mayfield stole third and Rivera walked to put runners on first and third with one out, but Chapman got out of the jam by forcing Lucas Valellly to ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

The Tars tied the game at 2 in the sixth inning on a two-out RBI single by Brian Lattanzi. Lattanzi would be the final runner Chapman would allow on base the remainder of the game.

With the score tied at 2, the Mocs got that run back in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead. In the inning, Curcio reached on a one-out triple to right center and would eventually score on a perfectly executed steal of home plate by Curcio. On the play, Kish and Kyle Jackson, who had both walked in the inning to load the bases, also were credited with steals as Kish stole third and Jackson stole second. Curcio's steal of home was the first for the Mocs since Nelson Rood stole home in the sixth inning of a game against Eckerd on April 21, 1983.

The Mocs completed the scoring in the bottom of the seventh inning as they took advantage of an error by Yuta Okazaki to score a run to take a 4-2 lead. In the inning, junior third baseman Connor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.) reached on a one-out single to center and moved to second when senior shortstop Kyle Gibbs (Sarasota, Fla.) drew a walk to put two runners on base with one out. Szczerba would record the second out of the inning as he was thrown out trying to steal third base, but the Mocs would score a run on the next play as redshirt freshman rightfielder Dominic Brugnoni (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) reached on an infield single and moved to second on Okazaki's error that plated Gibbs with the game's fourth run.

Curcio scored two of the Mocs four runs to take over the team lead in runs scored with 35, while his steal of home was his 28th stolen base of the season, which is second-best in the SSC.

Figliolia (5-6) took the loss on the mound for the Tars as he pitched 6.2 innings and allowed five hits and four runs (one earned), while walking five and fanning six. Jack Murray pitched the final 1.2 innings and allowed just two base runners on a walk and an error in the eighth inning by Okazaki.

The two teams will conclude the three-game SSC series on Friday, May 10 with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Prior to the beginning of Saturday's first game, the Mocs will honor its eight seniors in a pregame ceremony. The eight seniors this season are catcher Brad Carlton (Arcadia, Fla.), pitcher Mike Czenszak (Downingtown, Pa.), pitcher Matt Fuglesang (Land O'Lakes, Fla.), Gibbs, Austin Jackson, Kyle Jackson, Kish and pitcher Jack Sterritt (Ponte Vedra, Fla.).