“It’s nice to start off the three-game series with a convincing win,” said head coach Tim Hill II. “I thougt the guys played well. Obviously we swung the bat really well, but we played really good defense.”
Hill sent sophomore Tony Rossi to the mound to start game one, while HCC head coach Javi Miranda sent freshman Mathew Peters to counter.
After the first inning went scoreless, the Hawks would get on the board first at the top of the second. Freshman Hunter Fitz-Gerald would hit a lead-off home run for his fourth of the season. The Hawks would then score on a wild pitch before freshman Alex Aguila hit an RBI single to make it 3-0 HCC.
While they were down, the Manatees would respond back in the bottom of the second. After freshmen Brayden Woodburn and Joel Perez hit back-to-back singles to start the inning, sophomore Richard Rodriguez would send a double to right and bring in Woodburn and Perez to cut the Hawks lead to 3-2. While Rodriguez remained on second, the long awaited season debut for Lee was imminent as the native of Frankfort, Illinois lined a two-run homer to left center on the first pitch in his first at-bat to give the Manatees a 4-3 lead.
“I was ecstatic to be out there but I was also jittery and nervous at the same time,” said Lee on his return. “After hitting that home run, everything fell into place.”
“The wind was blowing out and that definitely helped out a little bit,” said Lee on his home run. “It gave me a little bit of a confidence booster, but I was shocked. It felt amazing and couldn’t believe I made contact with the ball and hit it out.”
The Hawks would then tie the game at 4-4 after a sacrifice fly by freshman Miguel Larreal. This only sparked a bigger for the Manatees in the bottom of the fourth. After Lee and sophomore Owen Ayers drew back-to-back walks, Miranda would make a change to the mound and send redshirt freshman Brayden Lloyd to the mound.
After the pitching change, sophomore Tucker Mitchell would send a three-run homer to left-center for his second of the season to give the Manatees a 7-4 SCF lead. After freshman Jake Jackson reached on a error, sophomore Jack Anderson would send Jackson home with an RBI double. Freshman Kevin Karstetter would then draw a walk and advance to second on a passed ball before Woodburn hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Anderson and Karstter to make it 10-4 SCF before the inning ended.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Manatees continued their offensive dominance. After Mitchell lead-off the inning with a single, before Jackson drew a walk and Anderson reached on a fielding error to load the bases, Karstetter would send a single to left and bring in Mitchell. Jackson would then score on a wild pitch before Woodburn sent Anderson home with a single to make it 13-4 SCF. Perez would then hit an RBI single and bring in Karstetter before the end of the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Manatees would finish their offensive game with a final seven-run inning. After Mitchell drew a lead-off walk and Jackson hit single, Anderson would reach base after a drop third strikeout while Mitchell scored from third. Karstetter would then bring in Jackson with a double before freshman Charlie Davidson hit an RBI groundout to bring in Anderson. After Perez drew a walk and sophomore Jacob Steinberg was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Lee would send a single to right and bring in Karstetter.
After another pitching change, Ayers would send a pop single to right and bring in Perez. The Manatees batted around in the lineup as Mitchell drew a bases-loaded walk and brought in Steinberg for the 20th run of the game. Lee would then score on a wild pitch to make it 21-4 SCF before sophomore Jakob Mattos finished the game at the top of the seventh to seal the win for the Manatees.
“It was a big win and we definitely needed it so we can try and get the sweep,” said Lee on the win.
“It’s always good to get a mercy rule game in effect in seven innings,” said Karstetter. “It saves our guys’ arms and position players legs. HCC is a good opponent and they can swing the bats. It’s not a rollover matchup and I know their record isn’t great, but they can definitely swing it.”
Rossi would earn the win after giving up four runs on seven hits, while walking four and striking out six in six innings. He is now 3-2 on the season.
“Tony really picked it up and threw some shutout innings after the offense scored” said Hill on Rossi.
Mattos gave up two hits in one scoreless inning of relief.
Mathews would be dubbed with his first loss of the season after giving up six runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in three innings.
All nine players in the starting lineup had at least one hit in the game. Lee and Perez lead the Manatees in the hitting column as they both went 3-for-4. Lee added three runs scored and three RBI, which included the home run, while Perez added one RBI and two runs scored.
“It was great to get Cam back in the lineup,” said Hill on Lee’s return. “He’s a very good player and I thought was one of the best players this past fall until the injury got him. It was great to see is game tonight.”
Mitchell lead the overal offense as he went 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBI and two walks.
“I had a rough two first at-bats,” said Mitchell on his game. “But I stayed positive and was able to turn it around for the remaining four at-bats and ended with a good game at the play.”
“Tucker is one of our best players and one of the hardest workers,” said Hill on Mitchell. “He’s been very consistent for us all season and came up big with that three-run homer to give us some cushion.”
Rodriguez (2-for-4, two RBI, one run), Anderson (2-for-6, two RBI, three runs), Jackson (2-for-4, three runs, one walk), Karstetter (2-for-4, two RBI, three runs, one walk) and Woodburn (2-for-3, three RBI) each had two hits. Ayers was 1-for-4 with an RBI, a run and two walks.
"It always nice to get some RBI and that’s good because we have a deep lineup,” said Karstetter. “When guys get on base, it gives me an opportunity to try and drive them in and we all did that tonight.”
Notes:
This was win #302 for Hill II
This was the third time the Manatees scored 20 or more runs.
“You don’t really expect that,” said Hill on scoring 20+ runs. “Doing it three times already this season is something you don’t see very much. We have some hitters who work very hard and it’s nice to see them having success. We are using the whole field and not just the pull side and we’re having good at-bats when we get two strikes.”
Freshman Benji Gilbert lead the Hawks’ hitting game as he went 3-for-4, while Fitz-Gerald was 2-for-4 with a home run. Both were the only Hawks with a multi-hit game.
Other Suncoast Scores:
#17 Florida Southwestern State (25-8, 9-1 Suncoast) defeated St. Pete (15-10, 5-5 Suncoast) 18-2 in seven innings.
Polk State (19-14, 5-5 Suncoast) defeated South Florida State College (11-20, 1-9 Suncoast) 12-1 in eight innings.
Suncoast Standings:
1. #17 FSW (25-8, 9-1)
After another pitching change, Ayers would send a pop single to right and bring in Perez. The Manatees batted around in the lineup as Mitchell drew a bases-loaded walk and brought in Steinberg for the 20th run of the game. Lee would then score on a wild pitch to make it 21-4 SCF before sophomore Jakob Mattos finished the game at the top of the seventh to seal the win for the Manatees.
“It was a big win and we definitely needed it so we can try and get the sweep,” said Lee on the win.
“It’s always good to get a mercy rule game in effect in seven innings,” said Karstetter. “It saves our guys’ arms and position players legs. HCC is a good opponent and they can swing the bats. It’s not a rollover matchup and I know their record isn’t great, but they can definitely swing it.”
Rossi would earn the win after giving up four runs on seven hits, while walking four and striking out six in six innings. He is now 3-2 on the season.
“Tony really picked it up and threw some shutout innings after the offense scored” said Hill on Rossi.
Mattos gave up two hits in one scoreless inning of relief.
Mathews would be dubbed with his first loss of the season after giving up six runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in three innings.
All nine players in the starting lineup had at least one hit in the game. Lee and Perez lead the Manatees in the hitting column as they both went 3-for-4. Lee added three runs scored and three RBI, which included the home run, while Perez added one RBI and two runs scored.
“It was great to get Cam back in the lineup,” said Hill on Lee’s return. “He’s a very good player and I thought was one of the best players this past fall until the injury got him. It was great to see is game tonight.”
Mitchell lead the overal offense as he went 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBI and two walks.
“I had a rough two first at-bats,” said Mitchell on his game. “But I stayed positive and was able to turn it around for the remaining four at-bats and ended with a good game at the play.”
“Tucker is one of our best players and one of the hardest workers,” said Hill on Mitchell. “He’s been very consistent for us all season and came up big with that three-run homer to give us some cushion.”
Rodriguez (2-for-4, two RBI, one run), Anderson (2-for-6, two RBI, three runs), Jackson (2-for-4, three runs, one walk), Karstetter (2-for-4, two RBI, three runs, one walk) and Woodburn (2-for-3, three RBI) each had two hits. Ayers was 1-for-4 with an RBI, a run and two walks.
"It always nice to get some RBI and that’s good because we have a deep lineup,” said Karstetter. “When guys get on base, it gives me an opportunity to try and drive them in and we all did that tonight.”
Notes:
This was win #302 for Hill II
This was the third time the Manatees scored 20 or more runs.
“You don’t really expect that,” said Hill on scoring 20+ runs. “Doing it three times already this season is something you don’t see very much. We have some hitters who work very hard and it’s nice to see them having success. We are using the whole field and not just the pull side and we’re having good at-bats when we get two strikes.”
Freshman Benji Gilbert lead the Hawks’ hitting game as he went 3-for-4, while Fitz-Gerald was 2-for-4 with a home run. Both were the only Hawks with a multi-hit game.
Other Suncoast Scores:
#17 Florida Southwestern State (25-8, 9-1 Suncoast) defeated St. Pete (15-10, 5-5 Suncoast) 18-2 in seven innings.
Polk State (19-14, 5-5 Suncoast) defeated South Florida State College (11-20, 1-9 Suncoast) 12-1 in eight innings.
Suncoast Standings:
1. #17 FSW (25-8, 9-1)
2. #15 SCF (23-9, 8-2)
3. SPC (15-10, 5-5)
4. Polk State (19-14, 5-5)
5. HCC (8-16, 2-8)
6. SFSC (11-20, 1-9)
Up Next:
The Manatees remain at home against HCC with game two Friday night, March 19 at 6 pm. Sophomore Daniel Batcher will be given the nod to start.
Up Next:
The Manatees remain at home against HCC with game two Friday night, March 19 at 6 pm. Sophomore Daniel Batcher will be given the nod to start.
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