AMERICUS, Ga. – The Florida Southern College outlasted Georgia Southwestern State University in 15 innings for a 6-5 victory in game one of their series on the road. The 15 complete innings matched a lengthy 15-inning bout against Eckerd College in 2022 as the longest game in the last decade.
The Mocs (2-3, 0-0 SSC) tallied 16 hits and 58 at-bats in the lengthy game one but came out victorious behind a
Nick Collins RBI in the 15
th. The Hurricanes (3-1, 0-0 PBC) suffered their first loss of the season at the hand of the Moccasins and finished with 13 hits.
Florida Southern was first to score with a big first inning behind two hits and a few walks to climb to a 2-0 lead.
D'Ante Starks was first to get on base with an infield single as back-to-back walks right after loaded the bases with only one out.
Jaiden Warde had the successful at-bat to bring one score in while
Bryce Safferwich reached on a fielder's choice and allowed
Jack Duffy to score.
Marcos Herrand got the start for the Mocs and held GSW to scoreless innings until the third with a solo run scored by the Canes cut the lead to one. FSC continued to bat well, including a hit by
El'Rico Riley in the fourth but was left on base before GSW took the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two RBI single.
Georgia Southwestern held FSC scoreless for six straight innings while increasing its lead to a 4-2 score before the Mocs rallied in the eighth. Despite two early outs,
Rohsean Riley got on base via a walk with back-to-back hits by
Josh Hines and E. Riley for the first-inning score.
Jevin Relaford batted in another run in the next at-bat with walks loading the bases. A free run off a walk and bases loaded gave a 5-4 Moccasin lead. GSW escaped the eighth with no further damage and three Moccasins stranded in the bottom half of the eighth.
The Canes tied the game in their turn at the plate and a scoreless ninth sent it into extras. FSC had an early hit and opportunities in the 10
th but left two on base for a 5-5 game. Both teams went hitless through the 11
th until Relaford had a single in the 12
th and later moved to scoring position on an error but was left on base for a continued 5-5 ballgame.
Responding with their own scoring opportunity in the 12th, the Canes were equally left stranded behind
Casey O'Dell, who pitched in extended relief to keep GSW scoreless. Neither team managed to score until the 15
th when FSC took the lead late. Starks was hit by a pitch and a sacrifice bunt by
Grady Maguire advanced him in scoring position. Collins' at-bat brought in the score and a 6-5 FSC advantage into the bottom of the 15
th inning.
Justin Stewart relieved a successful outing by
Lake Fisher to take the final inning and struck out two to seal a 6-5 victory for the Mocs. Stewart was awarded the save and Fisher the win to propel FSC back into the win column. Relaford led the Mocs with four hits in his eight at-bats with six different Moccasins credited with an RBI. FSC used five pitchers that began with Herrand with 5.0 innings, followed by
Mitchell LeRoy with 2.1 innings pitching, O'Dell with 4.2 innings, Fisher with 2.0 innings, and Stewart the final inning.
The Mocs will conclude their series against the Canes with a doubleheader (originally scheduled as a three-day series) beginning tomorrow, Feb. 10, at 1 p.m. in Americus. Incoming weather moved the Sunday game to a doubleheader to be played on Saturday.
