LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Southern College (7-14, 1-6 SSC) split a doubleheader against Barry University (14-13, 5-1 SSC) on Friday at Chris Bellotto Field. The Moccasins opened the day with a decisive 7–2 victory before the Buccaneers answered with a 4–2 win in the second game.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 7, BARRY 2
In game one, Florida Southern struck early after Barry nudged ahead in the first inning when Mya Tucker crossed home plate on a groundout by Sarah Langlie, making it 1–0. The Mocs responded in the second inning, capitalizing on a fielding mishap and a fielder's choice. Shelby Savitt scored on a fielder's choice, followed by Gabby Young's double to left field, bringing home Nei Nei De Jesus, Des Aitken, and Gigi Polanco. The Mocs finished the inning up 4–1. Barry trimmed the lead in the third inning with an RBI double, closing the gap to 4–2.
Florida Southern then extended its advantage in the fifth inning. Hannah Lewis singled, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Zoe Thornsbury's single. Aitken reached on an error, allowing Thornsbury to cross the plate, and Carsyn Kull added an RBI single, wrapping the inning with the Mocs ahead 7–2.
Young spearheaded the Mocs' offense in game one, driving in three runs with two doubles, while Lewis made a strong impact with three hits and a run scored. Aitken pitched a complete game, allowing two earned runs over 7 innings while also scoring twice and hitting a double. De Jesus scored twice and added an RBI despite not recording a hit.
Aitken's complete game featured seven hits and two earned runs over 7 innings, including three strikeouts and four walks, with 116 pitches thrown—77 of them strikes.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 2, BARRY 4
In game two, Florida Southern started strong with a two-run lead in the first inning. Polanco walked and advanced to third, setting up Kate Mikle's fielder's choice, followed by Keira Morris drawing a walk. With the bases loaded, Aitken walked, bringing Polanco home. Savitt then singled to shortstop, allowing Mikle to score and giving the Moccasins an early 2–0 advantage.
Barry answered back in the third inning, with Tucker's bunt single and subsequent advancement to third opening the door for Langlie's groundout to bring Tucker home, cutting Florida Southern's lead to 2–1.
The fourth inning saw Barry take the upper hand. Maggie Boyd, running for Kiera Strub, scored on Cameron Marchese's single. A fielder's choice by Tucker added another run, nudging Barry ahead, 3–2. Barry added insurance in the seventh inning when Serah Shafer walked and scored on a fielder's choice, extending the lead to 4–2. Florida Southern made a final push in the bottom of the seventh with hits from Polanco and Young but couldn't close the gap.
Polanco was a standout, drawing three walks, recording a hit, scoring a run, and stealing a base, alongside six assists from her shortstop position. Savitt drove in a run with her single, while Natalie Snowden pitched three and a third innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits with one strikeout. Amanda Lieberman took over for three and two thirds innings, allowing one earned run on three hits, striking out two, and walking one.
Florida Southern will look to continue their momentum against Barry, and close out the series on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Chris Bellotto Field in Lakeland, Florida.
