Baseball Takes Series with Split vs HCC

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (22-12, 11-7 Citrus) were able to secure their fourth series in Citrus Conference play as the split with Hillsborough (13-18, 6-12 Citrus) losing game one 11-4 before winning game two 9-5 to take the series.

Game One:

Head coach Tim Hill II sent freshman Lochlan Radloff (4-2, 3.95 ERA) to start game one on the mound, while HCC head coach Raydon Leaton went with freshman Anthony Jacquez (1-4, 8.53 ERA) to counter.

Hillsborough would take the lead in the first inning after an RBI double by sophomore Angel Matos. After the second inning went scoreless, the Hawks would increase the lead to 4-0 after an two-run triple by Matos and an RBI single by sophomore Blake Opie before the Manatees got their first run on the board in the bottom of the third after an RBI triple by sophomore Mario Trivella brought in freshman Mattie Counts.

After the fourth went scoreless, the Hawks would increase their lead after a two-run single by sophomore Tyler Gundelfinger made it 6-1 before sophomore Luke Boykin showed his power with a solo home run to left for his eighth home run of the season to make it 6-2.

The Hawks would add three more runs at the top of the sixth after an RBI single by sophomore Luke Fikar, before he scored on a fielding error, and an RBI double by Opie. The Manatees would then score in the bottom half of the inning after an RBI single by Boykin brought in sophomore Hayden Gustavson and freshman Holden Brauner brought in sophomore Allan Gil Fernandez after getting hit by pitch before the Hawks scored one final run at the top of the seventh off of an RBI single by sophomore Jack Martinez before they sealed the game.

Radloff would fall to 4-3 after giving up six runs on six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in five innings.

Jacquez would improve to 2-4 after giving up two runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings.

Boykin would lead the way offensively as he went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, while freshman Myles Davis went 2-for-4 at the plate.

Counts (1-for-3, one run and one walk), Trivella (1-for-4, one RBI), Gustavson (1-for-3, one run and one walk) and freshman Ben Ryan (1-for-2, one walk) had the remaining four hits.

Game Two:

Looking to take the rubber game, Hill II sent sophomore Oscar Hernandez (5-2, 2.79 ERA) to the mound, while Leaton went with sophomore JD Bryan (3-2, 6.94 ERA).

The Hawks would get on the board first at the top of the first after a sacrifice fly by Matos before they increased the lead to 3-0 after a Fikar RBI double and a run scored on a fielding error.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Manatees would cut the Hawks' lead to 3-2 after redshirt sophomore Connor O'Sullivan lined a triple to right to bring in Brauner and Gustavson. The Hawks made it 4-2 after an RBI double by Gundelfinger at the top of the fifth before Boykin responded in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run to left for his ninth of the season and his third in the series to cut the lead to 4-3.

After the sixth went scoreless, the Manatees would then put together the rally they were looking for in the bottom of the seventh. After Boykin drew a leadoff walk and Ryan hit a double to put runners in scoring position, the Hawks would send Nathan Aprile to come in for Bryan. This would set up a chance for Davis to bring in Boykin and Ryan as he popped a single to center to do so and give the Manatees a 5-4 lead. After Brauner reached base on a fielding error, both he and Davis would score off of three wild pitches. Gustavson would then draw a walk before Leaton sent freshman Michael Halfpenny to the mound. After O'Sullivan drew a walk and stole second, Gustavson would score on a error before freshman Dominic Donatucci would send a single to right and bring in O'Sullivan to make it 9-4 SCF.

The Hawks would add one final run at the top of the ninth after a Gundelfinger RBI double, but it would be all they could produce as the Manatees sealed the series with the victory.

Hernandez would improve to 6-2 after giving up four runs (three earned) on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts in seven innings. Sophomore Daniel Hartley would earn his fourth save of the season after throwing one-third of a scoreless inning, while freshman Austin Monahan gave up one run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts in one and two-thirds innings of relief.

Bryan would fall to 3-3 after giving up five runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts in five innings.

O'Sullivan would lead the way in hitting and offense as he went 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run, one walk and one stolen base. Brauner would round it out going 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base.

Trivella (1-for-5), Boykin (1-for-3, one home run, two runs and one walk), Ryan (1-for-4, one run), Davis (1-for-5, one ru and two RBI), Gustavson (1-for-4, two runs and a stolen base), Donatucci (1-for-3, one RBI) and sophomore CJ Richard (1-for-3, one walk) had the remaining seven hits.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Eastern Florida State (20-13, 9-9 Citrus) upset #5 Florida Southwestern (25-9, 11-7 Citrus) in their doubleheader winning by scores of 11-8 and 5-2.

#15 Central Florida (25-8, 11-7 Citrus) split with Santa Fe (16-18, 8-10 Citrus) losing game one 9-4 before winning game two 13-12.

Miami Dade (17-15, 9-9 Citrus) swept St. Pete (3-29, 1-17 Citrus) 11-4 and 12-3 (8).

RV Polk State (21-15, 11-7 Citrus) split their doubleheader with Daytona State (11-18, 9-9 Citrus) losing game one 2-1 before winning game two 13-5 (7).

#10 Indian River State (24-7, 14-4 Citrus) swept Seminole State College of Florida (19-15, 8-10 Citrus) 4-3 (8) and 6-2 (7).

Citrus Conference Scores:

1. #10 Indian River State (24-7, 14-4)

2. #15 Central Florida (25-8, 11-7)

3. #5 Florida Soutwestern (25-9, 11-7)

4. SCF (22-12, 11-7)

5. RV Polk State (21-15, 11-7)

6. Eastern Florida State (20-13, 9-9)

7. Miami Dade (17-15, 9-9)

8. Daytona State (11-18, 9-9)

9. Seminole State College of Florida (19-15, 8-10)

10. Santa Fe (16-18, 8-10)

11. Hillsborough (13-18, 6-12)

12. St. Pete (3-29, 1-17)

Up Next:

The Manatees return to non-conference play as they head to Tampa to take on the University of Tampa JV (10-9) before resuming conference play against #15 Central Florida.