LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern College baseball team hit three home runs on their way to a 13-4 victory over visiting Kentucky Wesleyan Monday night at Henley Field.
The Mocs (8-6, 4-2) had three home runs and 13 total hits in the cruising victory. The Panthers (0-7, 0-0) tied the game in the top of the second inning, but the Mocs regained the lead in the bottom of the second, never to relinquish for the rest of the game.
Despite the rain pouring in to lead off the bottom of the first,
Duncan Hunter smashed a two-run homer for the early 2-0 lead. The Panthers led off the second inning with two hits that led to two runs and a tie game into the bottom of the second. The Mocs responded with five hits and five runs.
Ryan Jenkins and
Grady Maguire started the first hits of the inning, as
Julio Cortez hit a sacrifice fly to bring home
Seth Cannady and Jenkins. An RBI single by Hunter an RBI triple by
Ahmad Fitts brought the lead to 7-2.
A scoreless third inning was followed by a deep double to left center by Hunter which set up
Connor Berry to hit a two-run home run. The third home run by the Mocs was in the sixth inning which
Jeff Liquori hit a solo home run and 10-3 lead to start the seventh. The Panthers tallied two hits and a run in the seventh, but the Mocs were quick to add three more runs off three hits for a 13-4 score. The Mocs kept the Panthers at bay over the next two innings for a 13-4 final.
Andrew Williamson threw the win for the Mocs tonight with five innings pitched and two runs scored. He tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts with 80 pitches and 23 batters faced. The 11 strikeouts by a single pitcher are a new season-high for the Moccasins.
UP NEXT
The Mocs will have game two of their bout with Kentucky Wesleyan tomorrow evening, set for a 6 p.m. start at Henley Field.
