Box Score COLUMBUS, Ga. - Florida Southern College baseball stayed undefeated in 2020 with a 6-3 win over Columbus State on Friday at Burger King Stadium. The No. 30 Moccasins (5-0) struck out eight and tallied 12 hits against the Cougars (3-1) to give the home side its first loss of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Moccasins kicked things off early as Kyler Marquis blasted his second home run of the year to center field to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
- A Jarrod Cande leadoff single and a Santino Miozzi single put a runner in scoring position in the top of the second, but a strikeout from the Mocs ended the inning.
- Through four innings, J.J. Niekro struck out four Cougars with no hits allowed. Columbus State got on the board in the fifth, as two straight singles put runners on first and second with no outs. McDade hit a grounder to third base that got the runner from second out on the force, but a throwing error put runners on second and third. Two-straight singles scored the first two runs for CSU as they took a 2-1 lead.
- The Moccasins responded quickly in the top of the sixth. Zach Diewert was hit by a pitch and Cande walked to put runners at first and second. Miozzi earned his second hit of the game up the middle that scored Diewert and tied the game at two.
- The tie would not remain for long as the Mocs would score two in the seventh to take a 4-2 lead. Jacob Teter hit his first homer of the year to center field, while Diewert went long for his third this season one batter later.
- The Moccasins doubled their lead to four in the eighth to take a 6-2 lead. A Cande walk and Vaun Brown single brought up Miozzi, who laid down a sac bunt that advanced the runners to scoring position. Dylan Costa singled down the right-field line to bring two runs in.
- The Cougars pulled one back in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on after a hit by pitch and a double. Two straight walks loaded the bases and scored one, with Verrino striking out Wilbanks to put an end to the inning.
- Columbus State would not mount the comeback as Thomas Spinelli came in, allowing one hit and striking out two to give the Mocs a 6-3 win and earn the save. Niekro earned his second win while Miles Dutton took the loss.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- The Moccasins have now hit 10 home runs in their first five games.
- Southern pitching has only allowed 10 earned runs in with a 2.00 team ERA.
- Miozzi's three-hit performance has powered him to a .538 average and a .769 slugging percentage.
- Diewert had another phenomenal day at the plate that has placed him at a 1.231 slugging percentage.
- Niekro has a 1.00 WHIP and 0.69 ERA through his first two performances.
- Spinelli, through four appearances, is averaging 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
UP NEXT:
The Moccasins will face off against the Cougars at 1 p.m. on Saturday for game two of the weekend series.
