Box Score LAKELAND, Fla. - Division II take note: Zach Diewert is a force with which to be reckoned. The senior continued his strong 2020 campaign with a walk-off homer in the tenth inning to cap off a dramatic 6-5 comeback win for Florida Southern baseball over West Florida on Saturday afternoon at Rodda Stadium at Henley Field. The No. 30 Moccasins (2-0) benefitted from home runs from Alan Burnsed, Kyler Marquis, Santino Miozzi and Diewert to overcome an early 5-0 lead from the No. 22 Argonauts (0-2).
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Trevor Castell went under some early fire after walking two straight in the top of the first inning, but a flyout got him out of trouble. The Moccasins then turned their attention to West Florida pitcher Daniel Floyd, running a two-out rally with a walk from Jacob Teter, a double from Zach Scott and a Diewert walk. The Mocs failed to take advantage of the bases-loaded situation after Burnsed struck out swinging.
- West Florida kicked off the scoring in the second inning, scoring all five of its runs in the third frame. A Sam Harris bunt single started the Argo rally, with Justin Dunnam advancing Harris with a sac bunt. Miller Hancock brought in the first run with a single over the head of Scott at third.
- The Argos continued the onslaught with a double down the left-field line by Adam Imwalle and a Reynal Ortiz single to left that each drove in a run. The rally finally ended after Bryant Harris doubled to left and brought in two more runs with Cullan O'Shea out at the plate, giving the Argonauts a 5-0 lead.
- Florida Southern answered quickly in the bottom of the inning. Teter's second walk followed by a Scott single brought up Burnsed with two outs. The senior blasted a long ball over the left-field wall to bring the Mocs within two, at 5-3.
- Marquis brought the game within one after launching a solo shot to left in the bottom of the fourth inning.
- The 5-4 Argo lead would not remain for long as, in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, Miozzi slammed a Hunter Lucas pitch to left-center that tied the game at five.
- The Mocs defense held strong in the top of the seventh when an Imwalle double advanced Hancock to the plate. The Burnsed-Marquis-Miozzi relay nailed the Argo at the plate and kept the game tied.
- Both teams escaped sticky situations in each half inning as the pitching bent but did not break. The game finally ended in the 10th inning, with Diewert blasting a homer on a full count to give the Mocs a 6-5 win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Diewert has now homered in back-to-back games two times as a Moc. Last year the Canadian went yard twice in a doubleheader at Eckerd (March 16, 2019). So far this season the senior is 3-for-7 with two HR, three runs, a double, and four RBI.
- The Mocs' four homers are the most in a game since March 12, 2019, where they went long four times in a 10-6 victory over Flagler.
- The Mocs scored six unanswered runs in the 6-5 victory. The five-run deficit is the largest comeback since March 30, 2018 when the Mocs came back from a 5-0 Embry-Riddle lead in the third inning to win 12-6, scoring nine runs in the top of the sixth inning. Similar to tonight's matchup, the Mocs' opponent scored its first five runs all in the third inning.
- Florida Southern got out of trouble numerous times in the evening, with West Florida leaving a total of 13 runners on base.
UP NEXT:
- Florida Southern will conclude its opening series of the season on Sunday as they host West Florida at Henley Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
