Mocs Split Home Doubleheader Against Florida Tech

LAKELAND - Florida Southern concluded its three-game Sunshine State Conference series with Florida Tech here Saturday by splitting a doubleheader against the Panthers at Henley Field.

The 14th-ranked Moccasins opened the doubleheader by posting an 8-7 win (Box Score) thanks to a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning by junior centerfielder Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.), while the Panthers took the nightcap 1-0 (Box Score) after scoring on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning.

With the split, the Mocs record moves to 26-13 overall and 9-5 in the SSC, while Florida Tech improves to 23-17 overall and 7-10 in the SSC.

In the opener, the Mocs committed five errors that led to seven unearned runs in the first four innings, but they outscored the Panthers, 8-0, over the final six innings to post the come-from-behind victory.

FSC would outhit Tech in the opener as they had 12 hits, including three hits and three runs scored by Curcio, while redshirt sophomore rightfielder Dominic Brugnoni (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) and junior catcher Joey Miller (Sarasota, Fla.) each had two hits in the win.

The Panthers recorded three hits and took advantage of an error in the top of the first inning to take a 4-0 lead off of senior hurler Brian Johnson (Oldsmar, Fla.). The big hits in the inning were a 2-run single by Jorge Chavarria and a 2-run homer over the fence in right center by Jimmie Koch.

FSC had a scoring chance in the third inning as they put two runners on base thanks to two walks, but Tech starting pitcher Ashton Fronsoe got out of the jam by forcing senior first baseman Trey Vavra (Menomonie, Wis.) to ground out to end the threat.

Tech would push its lead to 7-0 in the top of the fourth inning as they recorded two hits and took advantage to two errors to score three unearned runs.

The Mocs, who were trailing 7-0, would get five of those runs back in the sixth inning as they recorded four hits and used an error to plate five runs and pull within 7-5. In the inning, Curcio led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a fly out and would score on an RBI single off the bat Brugnoni. Junior third baseman Chris Dennis (Rockledge, Fla.), who drew a walk to load the bases prior to Brugnoni's single, would score the second run on an error by Chavarria. The third run came home on an RBI single by Miller and senior Jimmy Correnti (Fort Myers, Fla.) delivered a two-run pinch-hit single to right field to complete the inning's scoring.

FSC would pull within 7-6 in the bottom of the eighth inning as Brugnoni led off the inning with his sixth double of the season, moved to third on a ground out by freshman designated hitter Scottie Withrow (Seminole, Fla.) and score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Miller.

The Mocs would force extra innings in the bottom of the ninth inning as Curcio opened the inning with a one-out single through the right side, moved to second when Tech reliever Brett Porter hit Vavra with a pitch and reached third when Porter walked Brugnoni on a 3-2 pitch. Austin Allen would mishandle the ensuing pitch from Porter for a passed ball that allowed Curcio to score the tying run to force extra innings.

After both teams were retired in order in the 10th inning, the Panthers put a runner in scoring position thanks to a single and stolen base before senior Nate Carter (Boca Raton, Fla.) struck out Dan Bidziak to end the inning stranding the go-ahead run at second base.

In the bottom of the 11th inning, Curcio hit a 3-2 pitch from Porter over the wall in right center to seal the Mocs win. It was the second time this season the Mocs won a game on a walk-off homer as Vavra hit a walk-off solo homer to help seal the Mocs 2-1 win over West Florida in the 15th inning of its season opening win over West Florida.

Curcio's homer made a winner out of Carter (4-1) as he pitched two innings and allowed one hit, while striking out two.

Johnson pitched the first four innings and allowed seven hits and seven unearned runs, while walking none and striking out three, while freshman Craig Savage (Apopka, Fla.) pitched five nearly perfect innings as he allowed one hit, while walking one and striking out one.

Porter (0-1) took the loss for the Panthers as he pitched three innings and allowed four hits and three runs (two earned runs), while walking two and striking out one.

The Panthers offense, which had nine hits in the loss, was paced by three hits from Bodziak.

In the nightcap, both pitchers held each team scoreless for eight innings as Moccasin sophomore Ben Richardson (Orlando, Fla.) was locked in a pitchers duel with Panther freshman Grant Willcoxon. Those pitchers allowed a total of six hits, three walks and a recorded a total of eight strikeouts.

Tech had a scoring chance in the fourth inning as they put two runners on base with two outs, before Richardson got out of the jam by forcing Chavarria to fly out to end the threat.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Mocs put a runner on second thanks to a single and a stolen base, but Willcoxon got out of the jam by forcing Brugnoni to ground out.

Both teams put a runner on second base in the seventh inning, but neither runner would score to force a second consecutive extra inning contest.

In the ninth inning, the Panthers would finally break through thanks to back-to-back one-out singles that chased Richardson from the game. After both runners advanced thanks to a double steal to put runners on second and third, the Panthers would score the game's only run on a wild pitch by junior Moccasin reliever Casey Eskew (Sarasota, Fla.).

Senior second baseman Conor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.) led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a single and moved to second on a bunt by Curcio, but Willcoxon would complete his complete game shutout by striking out Vavra and forcing Dennis to ground out to end the game and take the series from the Mocs.

In the nightcap, the Mocs had four hits, as in addition to Szczerba, Curcio, Withrow and freshman catcher Kevin Fuller (Ocala, Fla.) had the other hits in the loss.

Chavarria led the way for the Panthers as he had two of his team's five hits.

Richardson (6-4) took the loss for the Mocs as he pitched 8.1 innings and allowed five hits and one run, while walking two and striking out three.

Willcoxon (4-3) earned the win for the Panthers as he scattered four hits, while walking one and striking out six.

The Mocs will return to action this coming week as they travel to Winter Park for a three-game SSC series at Rollins. The team's will open the series on Thursday, April 17 with a 6 p.m. game, before concluding the series with a doubleheader on Friday, April 18 beginning at 1 p.m.