Mocs Fall to Alabama-Huntsville in NCAA Tournament, Will Face Lynn Saturday Afternoon

TAMPA - Florida Southern couldn't recover from a four run first inning by Alabama-Huntsville here Friday evening in a winner's bracket match-up in the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament as the 20th-ranked and No. 5 seeded Chargers collected an 11-1 win over the Moccasins at UT Baseball Field.

The Mocs, who fell to 33-18 on the season with the setback, will now look to stave off elimination on Saturday as they face 11th-ranked and No. 2 seeded Lynn in a elimination game at 3 p.m. The Fighting Knights, who lost 4-1 to UAH in Thursday's opening round, remained alive in the double elimination tournament by posting a 14-6 win Friday over No. 6 seeded Stillman.

UAH, who won its sixth consecutive game and improved to 41-14 on the season, will face top-ranked and region host Tampa on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. in a match-up of the tournament's only two remaining undefeated teams. 

South Regional Tournament home page

On the night, the Chargers recorded 16 hits, which was the most allowed this season by Moccasin pitchers. In addition, UAH's 6 through 8 hitters went a combined 9-for-11 at the plate, including Brandon Lawing drawing all three walks allowed by the three Mocs pitchers. In addition, the 11 runs allowed by the Mocs also tied a season high.

Despite the loss, the Mocs did finish the game with 11 hits and has now recorded 23 hits in two NCAA Tournament games. Leading the way offensively for the Mocs was redshirt sophomore rightfielder Dominic Brugnoni (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) was 3-for-4 on the night, while freshman designated hitter Scottie Withrow (Seminole, Fla.) recorded two hits.

The Chargers exploded out of the gates in Friday's game as they used five hits and scored four runs to take a 4-0 lead. The first three UAH batters reached base, including Cody Burton leading off the game with a triple off of senior starter Brian Johnson (Oldsmar, Fla.), before the Second-Team All-Sunshine State Conference performer retired the next two Chargers, before allowing three straight singles. Johnson ended the inning by striking out Chase Handley looking.

UAH pushed across two more runs in the third inning to push their lead to 6-0. In the inning, UAH recorded four hits, including three consecutive singles, two of which drove home UAH's runs.

The Mocs had a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the third inning as they put two runners on base thanks with one out to a single by Withrow and a fielding error by UAH shortstop Blake Massey. UAH, though, would leave the two Mocs stranded on base as Aultman stuck out both senior second baseman Conor Szczerba (Titusville, Fla.) and junior centerfielder Keith Curcio (Sarasota, Fla.) to end the inning.

UAH added another run in the fourth inning off of freshman reliever A.J. Smith (Merritt Island, Fla.) to extend its lead to 7-0. Smith replaced Johnson at the beginning of the inning as the right-hander pitched a season low three innings and allowed nine hits and six runs, while walking one and fanning three. Johnson was credited with the loss as he fell to 5-4 on the season.

Smith pitched four innings out of the bullpen as he allowed five hits and four runs, while walking one and striking out none.

The Mocs would prevent Aultman's bid for a shutout in the bottom of the fifth inning as junior catcher Joey Miller (Sarasota, Fla.) led off with a double to left, moved to third on a single up the middle by Withrow and scored on a sacrifce fly by junior leftfielder Kyle Richards (Groton, Conn.) to drop UAH's lead to 7-1.

FSC had another scoring chance in the sixth inning as they loaded the bases with one out as Curcio, senior first baseman Trey Vavra (Menomonie, Wis.) and Brugnoni all reached on singles, before Aultman retired the next two Mocs in order to end the threat and leave the bases loaded.

UAH would add to its lead in the seventh inning as they used three hits and a fielder's choice bunt to plate three runs and push its lead to 10-1.

The Chargers added another run to its lead in the top of the eighth inning as Justin Riddle drove home the run on an RBI single to right off of Moccasin senior reliever Reid Noah (Lakeland, Fla.) to extend its lead to 11-1. The single was Riddle's fourth hit of the game.

FSC did try to rally in the ninth as they put two runners on base thanks to back-to-back singles from Richards and junior shortstop Casey Eddinger (Crawfordville, Fla.), but the Chargers would prevent any runs from scoring to seal its victory.

Aultman (10-4) earned the win for the Chargers as he pitched eight innings and allowed nine hits and one run, while striking out six and walking none.

In addition to Riddle's four hits, Ben Hall was 3-for-5 at the plate, while Conner McCain and Lawing had two hits and combined to score five runs. On the night, every Charger starter recorded a hit.