LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern College baseball team lost 5-2 on Senior Night against Barry University Friday night at Henley Field.
The Mocs (32-15, 17-10 SSC) scored first but struggled to get on base for the conference loss. The Buccaneers (29-17, 13-14 SSC) capitalized on strong innings and kept the Mocs scoreless for most of the game in a 5-2 game one win.
A pitching battle opened the game against Barry as
Kerry Wright had the start for the Mocs, his first of the season. Wright opened with five strikeouts in the first three innings of work as Mike Reagan for the Buccaneers kept the Mocs scoreless in the first two innings of work.
In the bottom third,
Mitch Donofrio was walked and led to
D'Ante Starks with an RBI single for Donofrio to score and put the Mocs on the board first.
The Buccaneers responded in the top of the fourth with a bases-loaded situation from a couple of walks and a hit batsman. A 2 RBI single brought in two scores, but that would be the end of the fourth after a pitching change for the Mocs to bring in
Justin Wit.
Despite a hit by
Jevin Relaford in the fifth and making it to scoring position, he was left stranded for another scoreless inning for FSC. Barry extended their lead to three after another two runs in the sixth inning. A sacrifice fly and an RBI single by the Buccaneers led to the runs with a 4-1 score into the seventh.
Mocs had a leadoff single by
Jeff Liquori in the bottom of the seventh but that is where he was left after fly outs in the next three batters.
Mitchell LeRoy relieved Wit and had an effective seventh inning but a costly error led to another Barry run with a 5-1 score into the bottom eighth.
Mocs got on base by leadoff batter Relaford with an error by the Buccaneers and a single by Starks for runners at the corners. A monster hit to center field by
Ryan Magdic allowed Relaford to score to narrow the deficit to three heading into the final inning.
LeRoy kept the game close after retiring his batters in the top of the ninth for a final opportunity by the Mocs in the bottom half. After nearly eight innings of work by Reagan, Barry brought in Federico Zapata in the final at-bats. Two quick outs allowed a close single by Donofrio, but that would be the final as the Bucs won 5-2.
The Mocs will wrap up the regular season with a doubleheader against Barry, beginning at 1 p.m. tomorrow, May 13, at Henley Field.
