LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College softball team hosted a non-conference doubleheader for the second-straight day as the Moccasins welcomed in Southwest Minnesota State and once again earned a split. FSC took the opening contest 10-8 before falling in the nightcap 10-2.
With the split, FSC moves to 9-13 on the season while Southwest Minnesota State is now 5-10.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 10, SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE 8
It was a high-scoring affair in the opening game of the double dip as the Mocs took advantage of three SMSU errors to score nine runs in the second inning before holding off the surging Mustangs late.
Freshman
Gabby Young, senior
Skyler Ralstin and freshman
Kate Mikle all picked up two hits in the victory. Young was 2-4 in the leadoff spot with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Ralstin was a perfect 2-2 at the dish with three runs scored, two walks and two RBI. Mikle went 2-3 with a run scored.
Junior
Shelbie Valencia led the offense with three RBI while going 1-2 at the plate with a run scored and a walk. Classmate
Kelsey Kadlub provided the lone extra-base hit with a double as she went 1-3 with a run scored and two RBI.
FSC used a trio of pitchers in the circle with senior
Taylor Thomas taking the start and freshman
Amanda Lieberman earning the victory, pitching 2.2 innings of relief, to move to 3-0 on the season. Junior
Cat Buckner pitched the final 2.2 innings and took home the save, the first of the 2024 campaign. Thomas earned the lone strikeout for the Moccasin battery while the three combined for just two walks. Buckner held the Mustangs to just one hit in her two-plus innings of work while not allowing a single run.
The Mustangs scored three runs over the first two innings including an RBI single in the top of the first and a two RBI double in the top of the second.
The wheels came off defensively for the visitors in the bottom of the second. Ralstin opened the inning with a bunt single down the third base line which was followed up by back-to-back sacrifice bunts by the Mocs that were bobbled by the SMSU pitcher which loaded the bases without an out being recorded. Valencia was next to the plate and earned a walk to score the first Moccasin run of the day. Kadlub then stepped to the plate and rifled a double to left center to plate two more runs and tie the contest at 3-3. The next Moccasin batter sent a grounder to second base but an errant throw allowed another run to score. Young was next to the batter's box and sent a single through the diving hole left between the third baseman and short stop to score FSC's fifth run of the inning.
The Mustangs finally converted the defensive play on a sacrifice bunt to stop the rally and then earned a strikeout which looked to put a damper in the FSC momentum with two outs in the inning. Three more singles and a walk by the FSC offense led to four more runs before a strikeout ended the inning. Ralstin provided two of the RBI on a single to centerfield while Valencia drove in the final two runs on a single to right.
FSC added one more to its total in the fourth as Ralstin earned a one-out walk and then advanced to second on a Mikle single. She went on to score on a wild pitch that sent her to third and then Mikle baited a throw to second which allowed Ralstin to score before Mikle was tagged out.
The SMSU offense exploded in the fifth as seven hits led to five runs which cut the FSC lead to just two runs. The Mustangs had the bases loaded in the fifth with one out and trailing by just two runs but Buckner was able to close the door as she coaxed a double-play ball to third base which went home and then to first to end the inning and the threat.
The Mocs threatened in the bottom of the fifth, advancing a runner to third but the scoring hit did not come. Both teams went three-up, three-down in the sixth and then the Mustangs went down in order in the seventh to end the contest, 10-8.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 2, SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE 10 (6 INNINGS)
Valencia, junior
Morgan Roden and sophomore
Kenleigh Smith all picked up two hits for the Mocs in the loss. Valencia was 2-2 with a walk, Roden went 2-3 with a stolen base and a run scored while Smith also went 2-3 with a run scored. Kadlub once again had the lone extra-base hit with a double.
The Mocs sent four pitchers to the circle including all three pitchers from the opening game who saw action in relief. The starter for game two was senior
Ashley Blessin and she suffered the loss to move to 4-5 on the year. She pitched 3.0 innings while walking one and allowing four runs, but only one was earned. Bucker came in next and walked one batter before Lieberman entered the game and pitched one third of an inning. The final pitcher was Thomas, the starter from game one, who pitched the final 2.2 innings while allowing just two hits and a walk.
The Mustangs repeated the start from game one with a single run in the first followed by two runs in the second. The Moccasins on the other hand were unable to explode for nine runs in the second as FSC went scoreless through the first two innings. The Mustangs added another run in the third before the Mocs ended the shutout plating a single run in the bottom half of the inning.
FSC scored its first run as Roden opened the third with a single up the middle. Smith followed up with a nicely placed bunt to put runners on first and second with no outs. The next FSC batter lined out to centerfield but Roden was able to advance to third with just one out on the board. The Mocs then ran a double steal with Roden finding home plate and Smith getting caught between first and second. The inning ended two batter later on a foul out.
SMSU pulled away in the fourth as four hits and an FSC error allowed five runners to cross the plate and the Mustangs ended the inning with the bases loaded. SMSU led 9-1 following the explosive inning.
The final FSC run came in the fifth as the Mocs scored on a bases loaded wild pitch while the Mustangs answered the lone tally in the sixth with a single run of their own for the final score of 10-2.
The Mocs will be back in action this Sunday, March 10 as they host a doubleheader versus Ursuline College. FSC went 2-0 against Arrows last season at home in a doubleheader sweep.
