SCF Baseball vs SPC Recap

The SCF baseball team (33-16, 17-9 Suncoast) claimed their sixth series in Suncoast play as they defeated St. Pete College (17-26, 10-15 Suncoast) 9-7 at Wynn Field. With the win, the Manatees are now 31-12 (2013-present) against the Titans.

For the game, head coach Tim Hill II sent sophomore Nick Long to the mound while SPC head coach Ryan Beckman sent sophomore Casey Keller to counter.

After holding the Titans scoreless, the Manatees would get on the board first in the bottom of the first. After a leadoff single by sophomore Shane Shifflett and a walk drawn by redshirt sophomore Brian Dillingham, sophomore Bryce Hulett would send a shot to right to give the Manatees a 3-0 lead. This was Hulett's first home run of the season.

In the bottom of the second, the Manatees would extend the lead even further beginning with sophomore Collin Moore was hit by a pitch before freshman Tyler Acosta sent him home with a double to make it 4-0 SCF. This would signal the end for Keller as Beckman would send sophomore Quinton Martinez to the mound. After the pitching change, sophomore John Shields would reach on an error before Acosta scored on a Shifflett fielder's choice to make it 5-0 SCF.

At the top of the fourth, the Titans would get their first run on the board from an RBI groundout by sophomore Andrew Mills, but the Manatees would retaliate after a leadoff home run by sophomore Josh Crouch. This was Crouch's fifth home run of the season.

At the top of the sixth, SPC managed to cut SCF's lead to 6-4 after back-to-back RBI singles by Mills and sophomore Dennis Filipovski and a Hulett fielding error.

After giving up a leadoff single and a one-out walk at the top of the seventh, Hill II decided to put in redshirt sophomore Brock Bell. The Titans would then tie the lead at 6-6 after a two-RBI double by freshman Josue Rangel before he scored on a fielding error that gave SPC a 7-6 lead. The two-RBI double would go towards Long's ERA.

The Manatees would then tie the score at 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh after a solo home run off the bat of Shifflett. This was Shifflett's fifth home run of the season. Beckman sent freshman Chris Brucks to the mound for Martinez.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Manatees were able to regain their composure to take the lead, beginning with Hulett leadoff single. One batter later, freshman Nick Winkelmeyer would hit a single to center before Crouch grounded out to send Hulett home to regain the Manatees' lead to 8-7. Hoping to add an insurance run, Moore would line a single to left and send Winkelmeyer home to make it 9-7 SCF and eventually the win.

Long and Keller would end up with no-decisions. Long would give up six runs (four earned) on eight hits, walking one and striking out four in 6.1 innings. while Keller gave up five runs (four earned) on three hits, walking one and striking out one.

Bell would earn his second win of the season after giving up one run on three hits with seven strikeouts.

Sophomore Colin Booten would be credited with his first loss after giving up two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Shifflett and Hulett each finished 2-for-4 with a multi-RBI game (Shifflett: 2, Hulett: 3) while Crouch finished 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.

Sophomore Dustin Harris would be one of two Titans with a multi-hit game as he finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while freshman Mike Zawol finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Mills and Rangle finished 1-for-5 with two RBI each.

Suncoast Scores:
Polk State (24-24, 11-14 Suncoast) defeated South Florida State (17-33, 6-20 Suncoast) 13-5

Hillsborough (25-21, 16-9 Suncoast) upset #13 FSW (36-12, 17-9 Suncoast) 8-5.

Suncoast Standings:
1. #13 FSW (36-12, 17-9 Suncoast)
2. SCF (33-16, 17-9 Suncoast)
3. Hillsborough (25-21, 16-9 Suncoast)
4. Polk State (24-24, 11-14 Suncoast)
5. SPC (17-26, 10-15 Suncoast)
6. South Florida State (17-33, 6-20 Suncoast)

Up Next:
The Manatees look to complete the sweep as they travel to St. Pete on Friday, April 26 at 6 pm.