Box Score ALBANY, Ga. – Florida Southern exploded for 15 runs in the fifth inning en route to a 22-3 victory over Albany State on Friday.
The 15-run fifth is the highest single-inning run total for third year head coach Lance Niekro, and second all-time in Florida Southern history behind only the 17-run second inning of a game against Portland State on March 23, 1995.
With a team batting average of .400, the Moccasins (5-5) put together 14 hits in the 7-inning affair, including six for extra bases. This was the first time the Mocs put up 20 or more runs in a single game since a meeting with Palm Beach Atlantic on March 21 last season that ended 24-5.
Junior shortstop Shawn Sanders (Cirta, Fla.) led the way offensively going 3-for-5 while driving in three and scoring three times. In addition to Sanders, senior second baseman Chris Dennis (Rockledge, Fla.) and senior third baseman Dominic Brugnoni (St. Claire Shores, Mich.) also had multi-hit games with Brugnoni going a perfect 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles.
FSC got off to a slow start and actually fell behind in the bottom of the first 1-0. Albany State (1-11) leadoff man Ryan Latner led off the game with a bunt single, and would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt. Latner would do an early steal and force an errant throw to third allowing him to score.
The Mocs settled in in the second inning and would tie the game. With one out, junior Jhalan Jackson (Winter Haven, Fla.) sent a missile out to left center that went for two bases. Brugnoni would follow that with a double of his own that went over the head of the Golden Rams' right fielder to score Jackson.
Junior starter Brady Arenson (Glenview, Ill.) would settle in after that and get through the next three innings unscathed, including a one-two-three third. Arenson threw 6.0 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits while striking out five and walking none. Redshirt freshman Brandon Leskanic (Longwood, Fla.) would make his collegiate debut in the final inning where he gave up one unearned run on no hits and one walk.
Not only did the FSC bats come to live in the fifth, but the entire lineup showed great discipline at the plate. With scoring 15 runs, you would expect that there would be 10 or 12 hits to go along with it, but that was not the case. FSC had seven hits, but drew four walks; one to start the inning and three in the middle of the rally all with bases loaded. Brugnoni, junior designated hitter Jason Sierra (Sarasota, Fla.), senior catcher Joey Miller (Sarasota, Fla.), Sanders, Dennis, senior first baseman Blake Swann (Live Oak, Fla.), and junior center fielder Sam Machonis (Tampa, Fla.) all scored twice in the frame, with senior left fielder Kyle Richards (Groton, Conn.) also scoring a run. Albany State used three different pitchers in an inning that saw 20 Mocs go to the plate.
With all but three starters out of the game, the Moccasin reserves helped push the team over the 20-run mark with a six-run seventh. Redshirt freshman right fielder J.P. DeBoyer (Algonac, Mich.) led off the inning with a walk, and was followed up by junior designated hitter Colton Davis (Lake Wales, Fla.) who hit a one-out double down the left field line. Redshirt junior catcher Arturo Tabales (Orlando, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and a walk by junior left fielder David Lugo (Homestead, Fla.) would bring in the first run of the inning. Sanders came to the plate next, and missed his second grand slam of the season as he hit a smoked the ball off the wall in left center, just a few feet left of where the fence drops off. Two bases loaded walks by Dennis and Machonis sandwiched around a strikeout would get the Mocs to 20 before a single by DeBoyer and another bases-loaded walk by senior second baseman Trevor Freeman (Shalimar, Fla.) would cap the scoring.
Senior first baseman Jerrod Flanagan (St. Petersburg, Fla.) went 0-for-1 with a two-out walk in the sixth inning.
The Moccasins and Golden Rams will conclude their series tomorrow with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
