Burnsed Bombs Twice as Baseball Blasts by Railsplitters

LAKELAND, Fla. – The nation's leader in home runs continued its long-ball dominance as Florida Southern College launched four against Lincoln Memorial University in a 9-4 win on Friday night at Rodda Stadium at Henley Field. Alan Burnsed started the evening with back-to-back bombs that helped the No. 30 Moccasins (6-2) handle the Railsplitters (3-5) in game one of the three-game series.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Burnsed started the scoring early for the Moccasins as he slammed his second home run of the season in the second inning to put the home side up 1-0.
• The Mocs nearly added more in the third inning when both Jacob Teter and Zach Scott singled with two outs to put runners on first and second. The Railsplitters got out of the inning after Zach Diewert popped up to center.
• Brent Richey tied the game at one in the top of the fourth as he launched a ball past the wall in center.
• The homers kept on coming as Burnsed and Christian Maglich hit back-to-back homers in the bottom of the frame to put the Mocs up, 3-1.
• Lincoln Memorial threatened in the fifth after a fielding error at second and a walk put runners at first and second. J.J. Niekro got out of the inning after striking out Mason Kelley and forcing Collin Goda into hitting a double-play ball.
• Teter put the Mocs up 5-1 in the bottom of the inning by hitting his third home run of the year, bringing home Kyler Marquis who had singled to lead off the inning. FSC continued to threaten, with Burnsed hit by a pitch and single by Maglich. LMU got out of the inning after lineout from Vaun Brown.
• Niekro's evening finished after the top of the sixth, allowing just three hits, two walks and an earned run with seven strikeouts.
• The Moccasins picked up right where they left off in the bottom of the sixth inning. A leadoff single by Santino Miozzi and two walks loaded the bases for Zach Scott, who ripped a two-RBI single to left. Diewert put the Mocs up 8-1 with a single to right that scored Teter. A second-straight hit by pitch on Burnsed loaded the bases for Maglich, who hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored Scott. A flyout ended the bleeding for the Railsplitters as the Mocs took a 9-1 lead into the seventh.
• A Brandon Parrot homer in the top of the seventh brought the score to 9-2. LMU put together a two-out rally with a single and double to put runners in scoring position, but Jarrod Cande struck out Grady Wright to end the Railsplitter rally.
• Lincoln Memorial continued to chip away at the Moccasin lead in the eighth, rattling off two singles and benefitting from two wild pitches and a walk to put the score at 9-3 with runners at the corners with no outs. Another wild pitch scored a Railsplitter and an additional walk put LMU players on first and second. Logan Verrino came in and made quick work of the LMU hitters, forcing an infield fly and turning a highlight-reel double play to end the top of the eighth.
• Two walks to the Railsplitters in the top of the ninth gave the Mocs some trouble that they quickly out of as Scott, Costa and Teter turned a double play to end the game 9-4 in favor of the Moccasins.
• Niekro earned his third win of the season while LMU's Evan Porter moved to 0-3 on the season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Burnsed started the game with back-to-back home runs, the second in his career as a Moccasin. The senior hit back-to-back bombs last season on March 16 at Eckerd in the seventh and eighth innings.
• Burnsed was also hit by a pitch three times. He is the fifth Moccasin to be on the receiving end of three beanballs in a game, joining Hayden Marze (Feb. 28, 2018, at Barry), Matt Mercurio (April 19, 2005, vs. Flagler), Michael Morales (Feb. 20, 2000, vs. Valdosta St.) and Glen Fernandez (Feb. 25, 1987, vs. Palm Beach Atlantic).
• The Moccasins launched four homers in the game, tied for second-most this season. The team has now hit 20 home runs in eight games, leading the nation in the long ball.
• In the last two games, the Mocs have hit nine homers with 18 RBI on 24 hits. The Moccasins also have a .329 batting average as a team in that span.
• Niekro is now 3-0 for the year with a 0.95 ERA. The senior has 18 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.95.

UP NEXT:

Florida Southern will play a doubleheader against Lincoln Memorial on Saturday. Games are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.