LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern College baseball team (28-12, 13-7 SSC) defeated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (20-20, 8-15 SSC) 11-3 on Saturday afternoon at Historic Henley Field.
The win, tying the series, came after a loss to Embry-Riddle. The Mocs led the Eagles for the entirety of the Saturday contest, with winning pitcher
Aric McAtee giving up only five hits and two runs in seven innings pitched.
After dropping game one to Embry-Riddle on Friday night, the Mocs wasted no time establishing their lead in the first inning of game two. Leading off for the Mocs,
Grady Maguire singled to left field, advancing to third on a single to right field by
Drew Cavanaugh. After
Bryce Safferwich was hit by a pitch, Cavanaugh advanced into scoring position.
With bases now loaded,
Connor Berry singled to right center field, driving in Maguire and Cavanaugh. Safferwich scored on a sacrifice fly to left center by
Ahmad Fitts.
ERAU maintained a deficit of three until the third when the Eagles scored their first run of the contest. The Mocs answered in the bottom of the inning, beginning with
D'Ante Starks gaining a base on balls. Starks stole second and scored as Safferwich singled to left field.
Both teams scored one run apiece once again in the fourth, starting with another base gained on balls – this time,
Rohsean Riley. Riley stole second and scored on a throwing error by ERAU's third baseman.
The seventh was the Mocs' biggest inning of the contest, racking up four runs to increase their lead to seven runs. Starks began the Mocs' action with a base hit through the right side. Starks stole second and scored on a double to right field by Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh gained a base on a ground out to second, later scoring on a fielder's choice. Later in the inning, Fitts and
Mitch Donofrio scored on a two-RBI single to center hit by
Jevin Relaford.
The Mocs scored their final two of 11 runs in the eighth, spearheaded by another single by Starks. Starks advanced to second as Cavanaugh walked; both Mocs gained a base on a wild pitch. Starks and Cavanaugh scored on fly outs by Safferwich and Berry, respectively, accounting for the last of the Mocs' runs.
Starks and Cavanaugh led the Mocs in runs, with three each scored. Berry led the team in runs batted in, tallying four during the contest.
The Mocs and the Eagles will face off once again tomorrow to determine the winner of the series. The final contest of the series is set to begin on Sunday, April 23 at 2 p.m. at Historic Henley Field.
