Box Score
LAKELAND - Playing as a nationally-ranked team for the first time this season here Tuesday night, Florida Southern used a four-run eighth inning to post a come-from-behind 7-4 win over Winona State in non-conference action at historic Henley Field.
The Moccasins, who improved to 16-5 with the victory, extended its winning streak to seven straight games and its home field win streak to seven consecutive games, while Winona State fell to 2-6 on the season.
Trailing 4-3 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Mocs opened the inning with a single to right center by freshman designated hitter Scottie Withrow (Seminole, Fla.). Junior Kyle Richards (Groton, Conn.), who was pinch running for Withrow, would move to second on a bunt by senior leftfielder J.J. Downum (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) and move to third on a single to left from senior second baseman Conor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.). The next batter, senior shortstop Jimmy Correnti (Fort Myers, Fla.), would draw a walk to load the bases after getting new life at the plate following a dropped foul ball by WSU third baseman Tyler Nehring which would've been the second out of the inning, before junior centerfielder Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.) lifted a pitch from Warrior reliever Nick Ender in the air to center that allowed Richards to score the tying run. After Curcio's sacrifice fly, senior first baseman Trey Vavra (Menomonie, Wis.) would give the Mocs the lead as he delivered an Ender pitch over the wall in left field for a 3-run homer. The homer was the fourth of the season for Vavra.
In the ninth, senior Nate Carter (Boca Raton, Fla.) would relieve senior Steven Burnham (Valrico, Fla.) and retire the Warriors in order, including striking out Nehring to end the game and earn his fifth save of the season and the 17th of his career. The 17 saves is third-most on the school's all-time list.
Vavra's homer made a winner out of Burnham (1-0) as he pitched two innings and allowed two hits and recorded one strikeout. For the game, the Mocs three relievers combined to allowed just three hits and record five strikeouts, including three strikeouts from freshman A.J. Smith (Merritt Island, Fla.), who relieved redshirt sophomore starter Jake Popovich (Danville, Calif.) in the fifth inning.
The Mocs got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning as they loaded the bases on three straight one-out singles, before scoring the game's first run on a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of junior third baseman Chris Dennis (Rockledge, Fla.). Dennis' fly ball to right allowed Correnti to score from third.
Winona tied the game in the top of the fourth inning thanks to a walk, a ground out, a fly ball and on an RBI single to left by Travis Evanson off of Popovich.
The Warriors would plate three more runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead. In the inning, WSU recorded only one hit, which was a 2-run single by Mike Wasilik and took advantage on a throwing error by Dennis and two sacrifice bunts. Wasilik's single chased Popvich from the game and brought Smith into the game.
FSC would plate two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull within 4-3. In the inning, Dennis led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by redshirt sophomore rightfielder Dominic Brugnoni (St. Clair Shores, Mich.). After junior catcher Joey Miller (Sarasota, Fla.) drew a two-out walk, Szczerba brought the Mocs within a run on his run scoring single to left, which plated Miller.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Warriors put runners on first and second thanks to back-to-back one-out singles by Ryan Nyhagen and Nehring, but Burnham would prevent either of those runs from scoring as he struck out Jonathan Nelson for the second out and then forced Evanson to line out to Correnti at short to end the inning.
On the night, the Mocs offense recorded 15 hits, including three hits apiece from Vavra and Dennis. Szczerba and Correnti each picked up two hits in the win and every starter, with the exception of Miller, had at least one hit in the game.
WSU had seven hits for the game, including Nehring picking up two hits for the Warriors.
Joseph Kubera (1-1), who was the second WSU pitcher on the night, earned the loss as he pitched 1.2 innings and allowed three hits and three runs (one earned run), while walking one and striking out none.
Will Lundquist started for the Warriors and he threw 5.2 innings and allowed 10 hits and three runs, while walking two and fanning one.
Both teams combined to leave 19 runners on base as FSC stranded 11 runners and WSU left eight runners on base.
The Mocs will remain at home this coming weekend as they host 13th-ranked Lynn in a three-game SSC series at Henley Field. The teams will open the series with a single game on Friday, March 14 at 6 p.m., before playing a doubleheader on Saturday, March 15 beginning at 1 p.m.
