LAKELAND, Fla. –
The Rollins baseball team dropped a pair of games to the
third-ranked Florida Southern Moccasins, 7-3 and 5-4 in Sunshine
State Conference action, Saturday afternoon at Henley Field.
The Tars (17-12, 3-6 SSC) rallied in the second game to cut the
Mocs' (23-5, 6-1 SSC) lead to one in the top of the six. After
loading the bases with two outs in the final frame, Rollins
couldn't finish the comeback as Florida Southern swept the
series.
In game one of the doubleheader, the Tars fell behind early as a
three-run fourth inning and a pair of two-run innings sealed the
FSC victory.
Center fielder Taylor Ferguson led Rollins at the plate going
4-for-8 with a triple and a run scored in the two games. Fellow
outfielder Jesse More followed with a 3-for-7 performance,
while Eugene Martinez recorded the team-high three
RBIs.
Both starters received losses for Rollins. Danny
Clark (2-3) went 5.2 innings allowing seven hits, six earned
with four walks to draw the loss in the first game. Cornish
pitched 2.1 shutout innings in relief for the Tars, giving up just
two hits.
Pitcher Tim Griffin (4-1) suffered his first loss of the
season despite striking out eight FSC batters. He finished going
five innings surrendering four earned runs and seven hits. Robbie
Pagano closed out the sixth for the Tars.
For the Mocs, Stephen Batman (6-1) earned the complete-game effort
fanning nine batters. In the next game, Daniel Tillman (3-1) went
5.2 innings allowing all four runs before Dustin Merrell came in
and tossed one inning. Patrick Szczerba was credited with the save
after striking out the final batter in the game.
In opening contest of the doubleheader, Bennett recorded two out of
the Tars' three RBIs. In the fourth, Ferguson roped a triple to
center field. Bennett followed with a RBI-ground out to short.
In the sixth, Bennett again tallied a RBI-ground out to short this
time scoring Yount from third.
In the second contest, Rollins trailed 5-1 heading into the sixth
inning before a Martinez three-run jack cut the deficit to one.
After a foul out, Ferguson hit a one-out single to second base,
before Bryan Bennett singled through the right side.
After a Ryan Luker fielder's choice, Martinez blasted a
two-out homer, but that would be as close as Rollins would get in
game two.
Rollins returns to the field for a non-conference game between the
Ohio State Buckeyes, Monday, March 23 at 1:30 p.m.
