LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern College baseball team won the doubleheader for a series sweep of Palm Beach Atlantic Saturday afternoon at Henley Field.
The Mocs (22-9, 8-4 SSC) had a monster first game of the doubleheader, tying a season-high nine runs, including a grand slam, in a single inning for a 12-2 series-clinching win. The Sailfish (14-17, 3-12 SSC) opened the final game of the series with a large lead but were unable to knock off the Mocs with a 17-9 series-sweeping win.
GAME 1: FLORIDA SOUTHERN 12, PALM BEACH ATLANTIC 2
An early error by the Mocs proved costly as PBA tallied a run in the top of the first but unlike game one of the series, FSC was unable to respond. The game then turned into a pitching duel as both teams went scoreless over the next two innings.
Aric McAtee was the starter for the Mocs and held the Sailfish to just two runs and four hits in his five innings.
In the top of the third, Mocs were in a jam with bases loaded and one out but a double play left two on and escape with no runs scored. Down by one, the Mocs had a monster home run by
Bryce Safferwich to take the lead 2-1 through four innings.
Another bases-loaded situation for McAtee and again he was able to escape with no runs scored and Mocs up 2-1 through five. The PBA evened the score in the top of the sixth from a sacrifice fly as
Justin Wit came in to relieve McAtee.
Florida Southern took the lead in the bottom of the seventh in a massive, nine-run inning, tying a season-high in a single inning. Mocs had six hits in the inning, including RBI singles by
Ryan Magdic and
Drew Cavanaugh. With bases loaded, Mocs capitalized on free runs courtesy of two hit-by-pitch and a walk before a
D'Ante Starks grand slam brought the Moccasin lead to nine and an 11-2 score.
Kerry Wright relieved Wit and struck out three over the next two innings, while Safferwich solo homered to a 12-2 FSC win to clinch the series. Wit was credited with the win, his second of the season, and Beebe the loss. FSC finished with 12 hits and four errors in the game.
GAME 2: FLORIDA SOUTHERN 17, PALM BEACH ATLANTIC 9
Another early start for Palm Beach Atlantic with two home runs and five hits in the top of the first. Starks tracked a deep shot to center field but a hard hit on the fence popped the ball out of the glove of Starks and over the fence for a three-run homer. PBA followed up with another solo homer for the 4-0 lead.
In this game, the Mocs responded early with an incredible eight runs in the bottom of half the inning. FSC had two runs from a passed ball and a wild pitch before Starks hit an RBI single.
Jevin Relaford hit an RBI single to send
Mitch Donofrio home and
Julio Cortez added a sacrifice fly for a
Rohsean Riley run. Magdic hit a three-RBI homer for the eighth run of the inning and an 8-4 Moccasin lead.
Jordan Fox got the start for the Mocs and quickly recovered to shut out the Sailfish in four straight innings after a slow start. While Fox kept the Sailfish tamed, the Mocs continued to score with an RBI single by Relaford to send
El'Rico Riley home in the second and back-to-back RBI singles in the third by
Connor Berry and Donofrio. Safferwich hit an RBI single in the fourth that brought the score to a 12-4 Moccasin advantage through four innings.
E. Riley hit a three-run homer, the second homer of the game for the Mocs, and Liquori hit an RBI single as Florida Southern continued to pack on the runs with a 16-4 ballgame in the fifth. PBA cut into the lead with a single run in the top of the sixth, but the Mocs still held an 11-run advantage through six innings of work.
Mitchell LeRoy entered as a reliever for Fox in the top of the seventh and gave up a solo homer as the Mocs' lead was cut to 10. After a scoreless seventh for the Mocs,
Jake Curry relieved LeRoy in the top of the eighth and gave up three runs in no outs before
Christian Suarez replaced him and prevented any further scoring by the Sailfish.
Safferwich continued his hot streak in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double, the 21
st hit of the game for the Mocs.
Justin Stewart was the Moccasin pitcher in the top of the ninth and struck out two for the 17-9 FSC series sweep. Fox was the winning pitcher and improved to 4-0 on the season.
The Mocs will hit the road next weekend for a three-game series against Lynn University, beginning on Thursday, April 6, set for a 3:00 p.m. start in Boca Raton.
