LAKE WORTH, Fla. – A grand slam by
Connor Berry in the top of the ninth pushed the Florida Southern College baseball team over Nova Southeastern 7-6 Friday afternoon at the Palm Beach State College baseball field. The series was moved to Lake Worth after extreme weather conditions in Fort Lauderdale.
The Mocs (25-10, 11-5 SSC) were down by two in the final inning before loading the bases for Berry's homer. The Sharks (16-19, 6-10 SSC) did score a run in a late rally but came up short with the 7-6 FSC win.
Florida Southern was first to score in the game with a home run by Berry in the top of the second. The solo shot by Berry is nothing new for the Mocs as he entered the game with six homers in his last 18 games. With the 1-0 Moccasin score, the Sharks took the lead in the bottom of the third with a 2 RBI double by Smith.
Nova Southeastern continued to score with a three-run homer in the top of the sixth inning for a 5-1 lead through six.
Nathan Madej got the start for the Mocs and had all five runs earned with two strikeouts in his 5.2 innings pitched.
Kerry Wright relieved him to complete the inning to keep the score a 5-1 NSU lead.
FSC cut into the Sharks' lead in the seventh with an RBI double by
Jevin Relaford to send
Rohsean Riley home.
Bryce Safferwich followed with an RBI single to send Relaford home and a 5-3 deficit through seven.
Down by two runs in the final inning, Relaford led off by reaching on an error by third base before
Grady Maguire entered for a single.
D'Ante Starks successfully had a sacrifice bunt to advance runners before
Drew Cavanaugh was walked. Safferwich had an infield fly that kept the bases loaded with two outs before Berry's at-bat.
Berry outlasted his NSU pitcher with a full-count grand slam that was smashed to centerfield, off the fielder's glove, and over the fence for the homer. The home run was the third time this season that Berry has gone yard twice in a single game. With a 7-5 lead,
Collin Camarigg handled business with one run given up, but a 7-6 Moccasin win and his seventh save of the season.
Mitchell LeRoy handled two innings of work to keep the Mocs close and was credited with the win.
The Mocs will continue their series with the Sharks with game two tomorrow, April 15, set for a 1 p.m. start at Palm Beach State College baseball facilities in Lake Worth, Fla.
