“It didn’t start off too well for us,” said head coach Tim Hill II. “Our pitching wasn’t very good the first few innings, but our hitters clawed back in it to keep in close. It wasn’t looking too good and we got to play until the last out is made and tonight was another example of it.”
“It felt pretty good to get the win to open conference against a good South Florida State team,” said sophomore David Barrett. “It sets the tone for the rest of the series, so it’s good to come out with the ‘W’.”
Hill II sent sophomore Jakob Mattos to the mound, while SFSC head coach Rick Hitt sent freshman Myles Caba to counter.
After giving up four runs at the top of the first, the Manatees would respond back in the bottom half. After loading the bases with three straight walks drawn by sophomores Owen Ayers and Tucker Mitchell and freshman Harrison Long, sophomore Jack Anderson would bring in Ayers for the first run of the game with a single. Freshman Kevin Karstetter would then follow with a sacrifice fly and bring in Long before Mitchell scored on a wild pitch. After freshman Jake Jackson drew a walk, classmate Brayden Woodburn would send a single to center and bring in Anderson to tie the game at 4-4.
After Mattos gave up a two-run blast to freshman Quintin Lindsey for his third home run of the season, Hill decided to pull him out and send freshman Eli Thurmond to the mound as he was able to escape the inning with two strikeouts.
At the top of the third, the Panthers would extend the lead to 8-4 after a two-RBI single by freshman Brady Markham, but the Manatees decided to try and fight back in the bottom half of the inning. After a lead-off single by Karstetter before advancing to second on a wild pitch, Jackson would send a single to center and bring in Karstetter. Woodburn would then cut the Panthers lead to 8-7 after hitting a two-run home run for his third of the season.
The Panthers would reextend the lead to 9-7 after a leadoff solo home run by sophomore Zeddric Burnham for his second of the season. After Thurmond threw two walks, Hill decided to send freshman Dylan Vega to the mound to get out of the inning in success.
At the top of the fifth, Hill went with one more pitching change as he went with his veteran reliever in Barrett as he was able to get the final out of the top of the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Manatees would add another run to the board after a sacrifice fly by Woodburn to bring in Mitchell and cut the Panthers’ lead to 9-8.
While the Manatees were trying to put a plan together to try and get the win, Barrett was doing his part on the mound as he pounded the strike zone with zeros on the Panthers part of the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Manatees looked to have one final gasp of life to get the win. After two straight groundouts, Ayers would hit a single to center before classmate Cameron Lee made his season debut and came in as a pinch runner. After advancing to third on a failed pickoff attempt, it was all placed in the hands of Mitchell. On a 3-1 count, the transfer from Florida Atlantic sent a towering blast to right center for a two-run home run for his first collegiate home run in his career and the game winner.
“From a collegiate standpoint, I was really happy getting my first collegiate home run,” said Mitchell on his first collegiate home run. “I was tired of watching Harry (Long) and Owen (Ayers) hit all those home runs, but I finally got one when it stayed right-center and it went out.”
“I swung through a slider early, but then I took the bad sliders so I could be set up for a fastball count,” said Tucker on hitting the game-winner. “I saw it away and stay within myself like coach Donnie (Robinson) told me to and put a good swing on it.”
“Tucker is a great player,” said Hill II on Mitchell. “Seeing him do something like that is a special moment and it was a good way to start off conference.”
Mattos and Caba both earned no-decisions. Mattos gave up six runs on six hits with one walk and two strikeouts in one and a third, while Caba gave up five runs on four hits with five walks and two strikeouts in one and two-thirds.
Barrett was credited with the win after throwing five and third scoreless, hitless innings of relief, throwing one walk and seven strikeouts. Barrett is now 3-1 on the season.
“I felt pretty good,” said Barrett on his performance. “My slider stayed back a little more and it broke more than it usually does and that was huge for me for this win.”
“I thought it was lights out at that point when David got in the game. We were behind the whole game and he kept us in it when he threw a bunch of zeros.”
Freshman Logan Wynn would be dubbed with the loss after giving up two runs on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in one and two-thirds.
Woodburn lead the way offensively as he went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.
Ayers, Karstteter and Jackson each had two hits. Ayers (2-for-5) added a run and a walk, while Karstetter (2-for-3) and Jackson (2-for-4) each added an RBI, a run and a walk.
Mitchell finished 1-for-3 with the game-winning home run and two walks.
Anderson (1-for-4, one RBI and one run) and sophomores Richard Rodriguez (1-for-4) and Rook Ellington (1-for-6) had the remaining three hits.
For the Panthers, Lindsey lead their offense going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.
Burnham and freshman Nico Saldino each had two hits.
Notes:
This was win #295 for Hill II as head coach for the Manatees.
Other Suncoast Scores:
Hillsborough (7-8, 1-0 Suncoast) defeated RV St. Pete (10-6, 0-1 Suncoast) 13-5.
#20 Florida Southwestern State (17-6, 1-0 Suncoast) defeated Polk State (14-10, 0-1 Suncoast) 11-5.
Suncoast Conference Standings:
1. #20 FSW (17-7, 1-0)2. #13 SCF (16-7, 1-0)3. Hillsborough (7-8, 1-0)4. RV St. Pete (10-6, 0-1)5. Polk State (14-10, 0-1)6. South Florida State (10-12, 0-1)
Up Next:
The Manatees will travel to Avon Park for game two against South Florida State College Wednesday night, March 3 at 6 pm. Sophomore Tony Rossi will be given the nod to pitch the game.
“From a collegiate standpoint, I was really happy getting my first collegiate home run,” said Mitchell on his first collegiate home run. “I was tired of watching Harry (Long) and Owen (Ayers) hit all those home runs, but I finally got one when it stayed right-center and it went out.”
“I swung through a slider early, but then I took the bad sliders so I could be set up for a fastball count,” said Tucker on hitting the game-winner. “I saw it away and stay within myself like coach Donnie (Robinson) told me to and put a good swing on it.”
“Tucker is a great player,” said Hill II on Mitchell. “Seeing him do something like that is a special moment and it was a good way to start off conference.”
Mattos and Caba both earned no-decisions. Mattos gave up six runs on six hits with one walk and two strikeouts in one and a third, while Caba gave up five runs on four hits with five walks and two strikeouts in one and two-thirds.
Barrett was credited with the win after throwing five and third scoreless, hitless innings of relief, throwing one walk and seven strikeouts. Barrett is now 3-1 on the season.
“I felt pretty good,” said Barrett on his performance. “My slider stayed back a little more and it broke more than it usually does and that was huge for me for this win.”
“I thought it was lights out at that point when David got in the game. We were behind the whole game and he kept us in it when he threw a bunch of zeros.”
Freshman Logan Wynn would be dubbed with the loss after giving up two runs on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in one and two-thirds.
Woodburn lead the way offensively as he went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.
Ayers, Karstteter and Jackson each had two hits. Ayers (2-for-5) added a run and a walk, while Karstetter (2-for-3) and Jackson (2-for-4) each added an RBI, a run and a walk.
Mitchell finished 1-for-3 with the game-winning home run and two walks.
Anderson (1-for-4, one RBI and one run) and sophomores Richard Rodriguez (1-for-4) and Rook Ellington (1-for-6) had the remaining three hits.
For the Panthers, Lindsey lead their offense going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.
Burnham and freshman Nico Saldino each had two hits.
Notes:
This was win #295 for Hill II as head coach for the Manatees.
Other Suncoast Scores:
Hillsborough (7-8, 1-0 Suncoast) defeated RV St. Pete (10-6, 0-1 Suncoast) 13-5.
#20 Florida Southwestern State (17-6, 1-0 Suncoast) defeated Polk State (14-10, 0-1 Suncoast) 11-5.
Suncoast Conference Standings:
1. #20 FSW (17-7, 1-0)2. #13 SCF (16-7, 1-0)3. Hillsborough (7-8, 1-0)4. RV St. Pete (10-6, 0-1)5. Polk State (14-10, 0-1)6. South Florida State (10-12, 0-1)
Up Next:
The Manatees will travel to Avon Park for game two against South Florida State College Wednesday night, March 3 at 6 pm. Sophomore Tony Rossi will be given the nod to pitch the game.
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