Mocs Fall in Extra Innings in Another Close Game Against the Argos

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College baseball team ended the first series of the season 1-2 against the University of West Florida Argonauts after once again forcing an extra inning in game three.
 
Florida Southern (1-2, 0-0 SSC) entered the ninth trailing the Argos (2-1, 0-0 GSC) 6-4, but despite a late surge of activity, the Mocs could not answer an Argonauts home run in the top of the tenth. The final score was 7-6.
 
During the first inning, the Argos took advantage of an opportunity to score after finding an opening between second and third base, bringing in their first batter. The Mocs were unable to score in the first four innings.
 
The third inning proved difficult for the Mocs as the Argos grounded a ball to right field, scoring two, followed by a wild pitch that set the visitors up to score once again and a 4-0 UWF lead. The bottom of the third consisted of three fly balls that were caught in right field, left field, and right field again.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, down 4-0, the Mocs began the process of answering the Argos' dominant third-inning performance. The Mocs' first run of the game came from a home run hit by Mitch Donofrio, his first with Florida Southern. Despite two additional base hits from Bryce Safferwich and Rohsean Riley, Donofrio's homer was the only score by the Mocs in the fourth.
 
The home team had a two-run fifth inning, closing the score gap between the Mocs and the Argonauts. El'Rico Riley and Jevin Relaford, both with base hits, were set up to score when Jeff Liquori and Mitch Donofrio came up to bat. Liquori singled, bringing E. Riley home, and Donofrio, despite being sacrificed to a fielder's choice, enabled Relaford to score and brought the score to 5-3.
 
In the sixth inning, the Mocs defense prevented the Argos from scoring. Pitcher Kerry Wright caught an Argos' pop-up bunt and threw another visiting player out at first, for a successful double play. However, the Argos would secure another run in the seventh inning, after the team gained a base on balls and a single, putting a player in scoring position. The Mocs prevented the visiting Argos from earning another run by catching a fly ball, the Argos' third out of the seventh inning, despite a 6-3 UWF advantage.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, the Mocs left two players on base, once again unable to score in the inning. Andrew Williamson came in to pitch for the Mocs in the eighth and kept the Argos with their three-run lead.
 
E. Riley had a base hit in the bottom of the eighth and D'Ante Starks advanced to third, but neither were able to score. In the top of the ninth, Williamson struck out two batters, and a ground ball fielded by Relaford sealed another scoreless inning for the Argos.
 
The Mocs tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, forcing an extra inning. Safferwich belted a home run over the right field fence, also bringing in Ahmad Fitts, whose triple to center field put him in scoring position.
 
The pressure was on in the tenth after the first Argos' player to bat scored a home run. Two other visitors, one who scored a double and one who walked, advanced bases on a wild pitch but were left on second and third as Justin Stewart struck out two batters.
 
Despite a single to left field from E. Riley, the Mocs would go scoreless in the tenth, adding a hard-fought loss to their record. The Argos took the series 2-1.
 
The Mocs will host Eckerd College on Tuesday, Feb. 7, in a non-conference midweek battle set for a 6:00 p.m. start at Henley Field.
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