LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern College baseball team lost 8-5 in game one of its conference series against Rollins College Friday night at Henley Field.
The Mocs (29-13, 14-8 SSC) struggled to put runners on base early, despite holding Rollins scoreless late in the game during a rally of their own. The Tars (29-12, 18-4 SSC) had four home runs and climbed to an early lead that proved too much for the Mocs in an 8-5 Rollins win.
Rollins opened the game with a run in the first inning after an RBI single with one out led to the 1-0 score. The Tars extended their lead in the next inning with a Parker Smith home run, scoring two, and a Spencer Sarringar homer for a 4-0 RC lead in two innings.
Florida Southern narrowed the deficit in the bottom of the second with an RBI triple by
Ahmad Fitts to send
Bryce Safferwich home, who got on base with a single to right field. However, it was the Tars again in the top of the third, capitalizing on a costly error for a 5-1 Rollins lead.
D'Ante Starks smashed an RBI double down the left-field line to send
Jevin Relaford home in the third, but Mocs were still down by three. Another two solo home runs for Rollins which extended to four after a solo home run by Howard in the fourth.
Mitchell LeRoy relieved starter
Nathan Madej in the sixth and allowed no runs in his two innings of work. On the opposite side, Edward Berry got the start for the Tars and kept FSC scoreless in four straight innings for a 7-2 RC lead through seven innings.
After a difficult four innings, the Mocs had a great RBI single by Starks to send Relaford home with a 7-3 score. The runs continued to flow for the Mocs with a massive RBI triple by
Connor Berry to bring Starks and
El'Rico Riley. A deep shot by Fitts hit the warning track to nearly tie the game but was caught for out three and a 7-5 Rollins lead into the final inning.
A successful bunt in the top of the ninth led to a Rollins score on
Christian Suarez before
Kerry Wright relieved him for the final batters in the inning. With an 8-5 RC score, Mocs were unable to get on base for the game one loss.
The Mocs will continue their series against the Tars with game two tomorrow, April 29, set for a 1 p.m. start at Henley Field.
