ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida Southern College baseball (2-6) lost its midweek matchup against Eckerd College (4-3) with a final score of 6-2 on Tuesday. The Moccasins jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the first inning, but the Tritons pulled ahead with a five-run rally in the eighth to claim victory.

The game started on a high note for Florida Southern as Mikey Scott singled and moved up to second after a walk by Ryan Jenkins. Gavin Smith then delivered a double down the left field line, driving in both Scott and Jenkins for a quick 2-0 advantage. Eckerd couldn't respond initially, going three up and three down to conclude the inning.

In the fifth, the Tritons began to chip away at the lead with a solo home run by Gelwick, narrowing the gap to 2-1.

The eighth inning turned the tide for Eckerd as Florida Southern's pitching staff faced challenges on the mound. This allowed Eckerd to push across five runs, highlighted by an RBI double from Escobar and a sequence of hits that put the home team in control. By the inning's end, Eckerd led 6-2.

Despite their best efforts, the Moccasins couldn't muster a comeback in the top of the ninth, and Eckerd secured the 6-2 win.

In the contest, Smith tallied two RBIs and a double. Scott added to the offense with two hits, a run scored, and a stolen base. Jenkins reached base three times, contributing a hit and two walks while scoring a run.

Ty Bradle set the tone for Florida Southern with a strong start, pitching five innings and maintaining a WHIP of 0.60, effectively holding off the opposition. Heath Clevenger provided two innings of relief, while limiting Eckerd to just one hit and one run. Evan Mobley and Casey O'Dell completed the FSC pitching lineup for the game, each working in the eighth inning. 

The Mocs will look to rebound as they host the University of Illinois Springfield at 1 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 13, at Henley Field in Lakeland, Florida. Read Full Article