Baseball Drops Doubleheader Against #7 Lions to End Series

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Southern College baseball team lost its series against No. 7 Saint Leo University with a doubleheader loss on Friday afternoon at Henley Field.
 
The Mocs (9-19, 3-9 SSC) had some costly errors that extended base runners in game one of the day that ended with a 7-3 loss. The Lions (27-4, 12-3 SSC) completed the series sweep with a series finale win over the Mocs by a 9-3 score.
 
SAINT LEO 7, FLORIDA SOUTHERN 3
Four runs in the second by the Lions set an early deficit that proved too much for the Mocs to respond to as SLU secured a series win in the first of two games on Friday. Costly errors led to the big inning by the Lions for most of the runs scored. Saint Leo had a slight edge in hits, 9-to-8, and a similarly even number of runners left on base.
 
A scoreless first was from a good start by Marcos Herrand on Florida Southern's side and Russell Sandefer for Saint Leo. In the top of the second, Saint Leo popped off for three hits and four runs. The Lions had two singles with only one out before a balk advanced runners to scoring position. A tough error at first led to two runs and subsequent walks and passed balls allowed a double steal at the corners and an RBI single to complete a 4-0 second-inning lead.
 
In the bottom of the second, FSC managed a solo run off an RBI single by Nick Collins after Rohsean Riley got on base from a deep double to right. The Mocs capitalized from two scoreless innings by the Lions to cut into the lead with another solo run in the fourth inning and a two-run deficit.
 
Neither team scored in the fifth and sixth innings, however, a single run in the seventh by Saint Leo extended the Lions' lead to three. The Mocs responded in the eighth with an RBI groundout by Grady Maguire to send Jevin Relaford home for a 5-3 ballgame. Another costly error in the top of the ninth gave the Lions another two runs, to which FSC could not answer with a 7-3 loss. Herrand was handed the loss and Sandefer earned his fourth win of the season. The save went to Jacob Young on Saint Leo's side.
 
SAINT LEO 9, FLORIDA SOUTHERN 3
Another round of early runs opened the series finale as Saint Leo scored in the first off an RBI single from Scott to bring home Buck Anderson. The Mocs answered with a tying run in the bottom half of the inning as Relaford had a leadoff double and after stealing third, R. Riley sent him home with a single to right field. Although they tied the game, the Mocs left two on as Brady Doorey, who walked, and R. Riley were left on with three straight outs to retire the side.
 
A scoreless second courtesy of good pitching from FSC starter Logan Adams and SLU's Luke Lashutka sent the game to the third. The Lions retook the lead in the third with an RBI single, another RBI single in the fourth, and a solo homer in the fifth that brought the score to a 4-1 SLU lead.
 
As Florida Southern continued to advance runners, the Lions added more runs, beginning with a single run in the sixth and two runs in the seventh for a 7-1 game. The Mocs had scattered hits by Relaford and Doorey in the middle innings of the game before another two runs by SLU in the eighth extended the Lions' lead to eight.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Lake Fisher had a one-out single, the first hit as a Moccasin for the right-handed pitcher. Fisher was brought home by a big homer by D'Ante Starks to bring it to a 9-3 score. Evan Mobley entered in relief and drew three straight outs to send a tough challenge to the Mocs in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Back-to-back errors on the Lions set up a bases-loaded situation following a single by R. Riley, but an infield double play ended the game with a 9-3 SLU win and series sweep. Adams was served the loss and Lashutka the win, his eighth of the season.
 
The Mocs will take a trip to Melbourne on Tuesday, April 2, for a midweek matchup against Florida Tech, set for a 6 p.m. start at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field.
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