Box Score
LAKELAND â€" #24 Florida Southern took game one of its Sunshine State Conference series against #13 Lynn 1-0 behind a strong pitching performance by senior Clay Chapman (Orlando, Fla.) tonight at Henley Field.
Chapman threw a complete-game one-hit shutout against the Fighting Knights which tied his career high for innings pitched of nine which he has done twice before. This was the third time this year that he has not allowed a run and the second in which he did not surrender a walk. Chapman is the first Mocs pitcher since March 9, 2013 to throw a complete-game one hitter when fellow senior Brian Johnson (Oldsmar, Fla.) accomplished that feat against Eckerd College.
The win for the Mocs (17-6, 4-0 SSC) was their eighth straight, and their seventh consecutive against ranked opponents. FSC is now 10-4 against such opposition.
The Mocs’ starter got into a groove early as he struck out the first batter he faced and set the other two down in order. Lynn (19-5,3-1 SSC) had to wait until the third inning until they got a runner on base as Matt Ackerman reached on an error by Chapman after he tried to bunt for a hit and advanced to second on the throw. Chapman settled down after that and retired the Fighting Knights in order from there on out to close out the frame. The Fighting Knights would get their first and only hit of the game in the next inning when Alex DeBellis hit a two-out single to left field.
Chapman cruised through the rest of the game as he sent the final 16 Lynn batsmen back to the dugout without a problem. He struck out eight batters on the night and only had two three-ball counts as he threw just 98 pitches in the game.
FSC’s offense got off to what looked to be a promising start as well as senior designated hitter Jimmy Correnti (Fort Myers, Fla.) chopped a one-out single over the head of the third baseman. Junior center fielder Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.) was able to prevent Lynn from turning an inning-ending double play after he sent a routine grounder to second. He would advance to third after senior first baseman Trey Vavra (Menomonie, Wis.) would reach thanks to a throwing error by the third baseman. Curcio, as well as six other Moccasin runners on the night, would be stranded there as junior third baseman Chris Dennis (Rockledge, Fla.) flew out to center to end the inning.
The Mocs would try to manufacture a run in the bottom half of the third frame as junior shortstop Casey Eddinger (Crawfordville, Fla.) would lead off with a walk, and be moved to second because of a sacrifice bunt by senior second baseman Conor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.). A fly out to right by Correnti advanced Eddinger to third, but he would be stranded there as Curcio fouled out to third to keep the score even.
It looked as though the scoring would open up in the bottom of the fourth when Vavra smashed a single through the left side on a 3-1 pitch from Lynn starter Jed Vandernaald. After two quick outs, junior catcher Joey Miller (Sarasota, Fla.) worked a walk and senior left fielder J.J. Downum (Land O’Lakes, Fla.) got hit by a 1-2 miscue to load the bases for Eddinger. The St. John’s River College transfer could not push across the first run of the game, however, as he struck out swinging.
Vandernaald would be taken out after seven innings of work. He would earn a no-decision in the game to remain at 5-1 on the year, and gave up only two hits in the 100-pitch outing. FSC was able to get to the Lynn bullpen by fouling off a lot of his pitches and running deep counts.
Bill Mendek would replace Vandernaald on the bump and saw some early success as he set down the first two Mocs batters he faced. Curcio came up and legged out a single to short and kept his motor going as he took off on the 0-1 pitch to Vavra and swiped second for his team-leading 11th stolen base of the season. Vavra would finally end the scoreless battle with an RBI single to left field which scored Curcio. He would advance to third on a throwing error by the left fielder as the ball almost bounced into the Mocs’ first base dugout.
The 24th ranked Mocs will conclude the series tomorrow with a doubleheader against #13 Lynn at Historic Henley Field. Opening pitch for the first game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.
