DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Florida Southern College baseball (26-22, 15-14) split a doubleheader against Embry-Riddle University (FL) (25-25, 15-15) on Saturday at Sliwa Stadium, suffering a narrow 7–6 loss in the first game before bouncing back with a decisive 9–2 victory in the second to finish the regular season.
In Game 1, the Moccasins tallied 11 hits, including four doubles and a home run, but the Eagles capitalized on key scoring opportunities in the seventh and eighth innings to secure the victory.
Adrian Davis opened the scoring for Florida Southern in the third inning with a double down the left field line. He advanced to third on a groundout and scored on
Ryan Jenkins' groundout to third base, giving the Mocs a 1–0 lead.
Florida Southern extended its lead in the fourth inning with
Brock Budacki's single and
Eli Thurmond's double moving Budacki to third. Davis reached on a throwing error, allowing Budacki to score, followed by Jenkins with an RBI single, making it 3–0. The Eagles responded with an RBI single by Max McClusky, bringing the score to 3–1.
Cory Filley doubled in the fifth inning to drive in Budacki, extending the lead to 4–1. However, the Eagles' Collin Mastromauro later scored on a bases-loaded walk, tightening the score to 4–2. The Mocs added another run in the sixth when
Mikey Scott's double brought home Davis, making it 5–2, but the Eagles capitalized on a fielding error and a subsequent RBI single from Cole Bullen to cut the lead to 5–3.
In a thrilling seventh inning, the Eagles tied the game with Jackson Allison's triple and McClusky's single, evening the score at 5–5. In the eighth, they took the lead after an error allowed Mastromauro to score, and Aiken Santana's single added another run, putting them ahead 7–5.
Carson Brady hit a solo home run in the ninth, but Florida Southern fell short, with the final score at Embry-Riddle 7, Florida Southern 6.
In Game 2, Florida Southern showcased a strong offensive performance, highlighted by a home run and 10 total hits, securing a 9–2 victory. Scott opened the scoring with a solo home run to left field in the first inning, giving the Mocs an early 1–0 lead.
The second inning saw
Jorge Santana III reach on a throwing error, later scoring on a bases-loaded walk to
Brady Doorey. Jenkins followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring
Will Burke, and Scott added an RBI single, bringing home Davis, extending the lead to 4–0. ERAU responded in the fourth with Torin Foley tripling and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Malachi Peña, cutting the lead to 4–1.
FSC added another run in the fifth as Budacki scored on a fielding error, making it 5–1. Both teams exchanged runs in the sixth, with Doorey scoring on a fielding error and Aidan Corn scoring for the Eagles on an RBI groundout, leaving Florida Southern ahead 6–2. In the seventh, Filley scored on a single by Burke, increasing the lead to 7–2.
The Mocs capitalized on errors in the eighth inning, with Jenkins and Budacki scoring on a double by Brady, finalizing the score at 9–2 in favor of Florida Southern.
Mikey Scott contributed significantly with two hits, including a home run, and drove in two runs.
Carson Brady also had two hits and drove in two runs with a double, while
Brock Budacki scored twice. On the mound,
Ty Bradle pitched 5 innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out three batters.
