JEFFERSON CITY, TENN. – After a ninth-inning comeback, the No. 6 Florida Southern College baseball team fell in extra innings 7-6 to No. 25 Carson-Newman University on Friday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
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The Moccasins (15-3, 5-1 SSC) scored three in the ninth to go up by two runs but ultimately fell in the 12
th inning in the lengthy series opener. The Eagles (15-4, 7-2 SAC) scored two runs in the bottom ninth to send the game into extras, ending with a walk-off RBI single to win the game.
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Florida Southern struggled at the plate, only managing five hits, three from
Grant Thoroman. FSC had solo hits by
Chris McKenna and
Ahmad Fitts and a sacrifice fly by
Cleary Simpson. As a team, FSC left 10 on base, compared to just six by Carson-Newman.
Sachem Ramos got the start for FSC and went seven innings, giving up two earned runs.
Wyatt Clark had a successful inning of work in a quick 1-2-3 eighth inning preceding a tough outing for
Colby Rice, giving up runs to tie the game.
BJ Rivera finished the game for FSC with three innings and a walk-off run to move to a 1-1 record this season.
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The Eagles outhit FSC with 12 total hits by the team, led by Spencer Williams and Tanner Kilgore, each with three on the day. Kilgore had the only home run of the day between the two teams, though as a team, CNU struggled with errors (3), leading to runs scored by the Mocs late. Ryan Higgins had the start for the Eagles, finishing with six strikeouts and no earned runs in his 6.1 innings. Andrew Bench went the final three innings to hold FSC to a single hit and no runs for his first win of the season.
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Neither team scored in the first two innings of the game, until the Eagles scored three in the bottom third inning. CNU went up 4-0 after the sixth inning before FSC could score, and eventually took the lead 6-4 in the top of the ninth inning after a three-run outing in the ninth. FSC gave up its lead in the bottom of the ninth, 6-6, to send the game into extras. Neither team could score in the first two innings until the Eagles secured a walk-off in the bottom of the 12
th inning to win 7-6.
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The Mocs will wrap up their trip to Tennessee with a Saturday doubleheader, beginning at 12 p.m. at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.
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