#4 Mocs Drop Series Opener at Florida Tech

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The No. 4 Florida Southern College baseball team lost its Sunshine State Conference opener by 2-0 against Florida Tech on Friday night at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field.
 
The Moccasins (9-2, 0-1 SSC) struggled at the plate, only batting three hits, while leaving five on base to snap an eight-game win streak. The Panthers (8-6, 1-0 SSC) controlled the plate with strong defense while tallying nine hits on offense in the shutout win.
 
Florida Southern had hits from Jevin Relaford, Rohsean Riley, and Noah Rabin. Rabin and Riley extended their hit streaks to six games, each tallying a single. Rabin and Cleary Simpson were walked, though no runs scored in the shutout. One of the nation's best in stolen bases, FSC had two stolen bases. Sachem Ramos had the start and went eight innings of work in the loss, his first of the season. Ramos gave up nine hits and two runs with seven strikeouts, the fourth consecutive start earning at least six strikeouts.
 
Florida Tech had a big night on the mound, allowing just three hits between their two pitchers. Jacob Pino went seven innings, two hits, and no runs with four strikeouts for the win. Ethan Stephens got the save after two innings of work, one hit, and five strikeouts to prevent an FSC comeback. At the plate, FT was led by Cole Patrick with three hits and Gabe Garrett with two hits. All but two in the lineup registered a hit, Patrick and Garrett notching the two RBI in the game.
 
Neither team scored over the first three innings, with the first FSC hit in the top of the third. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Patrick and Garrett each had an RBI single in a three-hit inning to take a 2-0 lead. The Mocs continued to struggle over the next several innings with just a single hit in the sixth halfway through the game. A pitching change for Tech in the top of the eighth led to a single, two walks, and loaded bases with just one out. Stephens rallied for two straight strikeouts to leave three Mocs stranded into the final frame. FSC had another two strikeouts and a pop-up to end the game with a 2-0 loss.
 
The Mocs will look to bounce back with a doubleheader tomorrow, Feb. 22, beginning at 1 p.m. at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field.
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