SCF Baseball Completes Sweep Over St. Pete

Bradneton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (30-24, 17-16 Citrus) closed their season on a strong note as they completed their first sweep in conference after defeating St. Pete College (17-31, 10-23 Citrus) 9-1 and 14-9.

"It was nice to finally sweep a team today with two wins," said head coach Tim Hill II. "While we did end the season on a positive note, it was a very disappointing season overall as we came shy of making the playoffs by one game. I look to focus on building a team for the 2025 season that can get back to the tournament."

Game One:

Hill II sent sophomore Brandon Clarke (5-2, 4.67 ERA) to start game one, while Titans head coach Oscar Espada went with sophomore Esad Pena (5-4, 6.02 ERA) to counter.

At the top of the first, Titans would get on the board early after an RBI single by freshman Carlos Sanchez before Clarke finished the top of the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, the Manatees would respond back beginning with a leadoff single by Almonte, which would be followed with a stolen base before moving to third on a throwing error. After Hairston drew a walk and stolen second, Almonte would score on a balk to tie the game at 1-1 before sophomore Santiago Ordonez would send a single to right-center to bring in Hairston made it 2-1 SCF. Following Ordonez's single, freshman Walker Vanecek would bring in his power as he hit a two-run homer to left for his fifth of the season to make it 4-1 SCF.

After the next two innings went scoreless, the Manatees would increase their lead in the bottom of the fourth beginning with a leadoff single by sophomore Preston Wetherell. After freshman Mario Trivella was hit by a pitch, Almonte would send a single to right and bring in Wetherell before Trivella scored on a fielding error and Almonte advance to third on the same error. After Gil-Fernandez was hit by a pitch, Ordonez would send a hard single to left to bring in Almonte to make it 7-1 SCF.

One inning later, the Manatees would put their final runs on the board beginning with a leadoff walk by freshman Luke Boykin. After Trivella was hit by a pitch and both runners advanced to third on a wild pitch, Almonte would line a single to left to bring in Boykin and Trivella to make it 9-1 SCF before sealing the victory.

Clarke would improve to 6-2 after giving up one unearned run on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts in five innings. Freshman Daniel Hartley would throw two scoreless innings of relief with one walk and two strikeouts.

Pena would fall to 5-5 after giving up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with two walks and one strikeout in four innings. Freshman Andres Bermudez would give up two runs on two hits with two walks in two innings of relief.

Almonte would lead the way in hitting and offense as he went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs and two stolen bases. Ordonez would also finish with a multi-hit as he went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.

Vanecek (1-for-4, one home run and two RBI), Hairston (1-for-3, one run, one walk and one stolen base), Wetherell (1-for-4, one run) and sophomore Luis Garrido (1-for-4, one stolen base) had the remaining hits, while Gil-Fernadez (one walk and one stolen base), Boykin (one run and one walk) and Trivella (two runs and one walk) also contributed in the game.

For the Titans, sophomores Colton Pizzio and Jordan Smiley and freshman Carlos Sanchez each had one of three hits.

Game Two:

Looking to complete the sweep, Hill II sent redshirt freshman Palmer O'Beirne (6-1, 5.15 ERA) to start the final game of the season, while Espada went with freshman Jose Zayas (2-3, 5.40 ERA).

The Manatees would get on the board first in the bottom of the first as Ordonez would send a double to right-center to bring in Gil-Fernandez for the first run of the game. At the top of the second, the Titans would tie the game thanks to a solo home run by Sanchez for his fourth of the season before they took a 3-1 lead thanks to an RBI single by sophomore RJ Gutierrez and a run scoring on an error. The lead would increase to 7-1 for the next three innings thanks an RBI groundout by sophomore Diego Aponte and a run on a wild pitch (third inning), an RBI single by sophomore Brett Wagner (fourth inning) and an RBI single by Gutierrez (fifth inning).

After holding the Titans scoreless at the top of the sixth, the Manatees would then respond in the bottom half of the inning. After back-to-back singles by Hairston and Gil-Fernandez and Vanecek drawing a walk to load the bases, Garrido would send a single to center to bring in Hairston and Gil-Fernadez. After freshman Hayden Gustavson hit a single to reload the bases, Trivella would draw a bases-loaded walk and bring in Vanecek before Garrido scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-5 still in St. Pete's favor.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Manatees would go on a scoring rally to go for the lead. After Ordonez reached base on a dropped third strike, Vanecek and Garrido would hit back-to-back single to load the bases before Ordonez and Vanecek scored on back-to-back wild pitches to tie the game at 7-7. After Gustavson drew a walk, Garrido would score on a wild pitch to give the Manatees an 8-7 before Trivella would show his power as he did in the opening game on Thursday as he towered a two-run blast to left for his second home run of the season. After a two-out single by Almonte, Hairston would send a double to center to bring in Almonte before Gil-Fernandez would send a two-run blast of his own to left for his 10th of the season.

The Manatees would then add their final run of the game as Almonte would send a double to center to bring in freshman Collin Mastromauro for a 14-7 lead. The Titans would add two runs at the top of the ninth after a sacrifice fly by Gutierrez and an RBI single by freshman Jose Rangel, but it would all the Titans could produce as a final double play sealed the victory and sweep for the Manatees.

O'Beirne and Zayas would each earn a no-decision. O'Beirne would give up five runs (four earned) on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts in three innings, while Zayas gave up five runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts in five and a third innings.

Wetherell would improve to 2-3 after giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits with two walks and one strikeout in three innings of relief. Freshman Dylan DeLeo gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits in three innings of relief.

Sophmore Owen Marsh would fall to 3-6 after giving up seven runs (four earned) on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in one and a third inning of relief. Freshman John Aponte would five up two runs on five hits with three strikeouts in one and a third innings of relief.

All nine Manatees in the starting lineup had at least one hit with seven Manatees having a multi-hit game. It was Gil-Fernandez and Hairston that lead the way in hitting as they each had three hits. Gil-Fernandez (3-for-5) added two RBI and three runs, while Hairston (3-for-6) added two runs scored and one RBI. Hairston would finish 4-for-9 at the plate in both games.

Almonte would finish 2-for-5 with an RBI, one run and one walk and finished 5-for-9 with four RBI.

Garrido (2-for-4), Ordonez (2-for-5), Vanecek (2-for-5) and Gustavson (2-for-4) rounded out the order in hitting as they each had two hits. Garrido added two runs and two RBI, while Ordonez added one run and one RBI, Vanecek added two runs and one walk and Gustavson added one run and one walk.

Trivella lead the way in offense as he went 1-for-4, with a home run, three RBI, one run and one walk, while Mastromauro went 1-for-4 with one run.

For the Titans, Wagner lead the way in hitting as he went 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run, while Sanchez followed going 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI.

Up Next:

This concludes the 2024 season for the Manatees. They will focus on the 2025 season in January.

SCF Baseball Slays Titans

Clearwater, Fla - Despite their playoff chances coming to an end, the SCF baseball team (28-24, 15-16 Citrus) were able to pull off a mercy rule victory as they shutout St. Pete College (17-29, 10-21 Citrus) 10-0 in five innings via the mercy rule.

“To not be in playoff contention is disappointing, which was our own fault,” said head coach Tim Hill II. “We still played hard and didn't roll over and the guys responded in one of the better games they played.”

“I feel we played baseball really well on both sides,” said sophomore Bryan Gomez. “Hitting was outstanding and I was trying my best to keep us in the game and everything worked out pretty well.”

“Today was a tough day for us, especially missing playoffs,” said sophomore Santiago Ordonez. “Overall, I think we made a good comeback and had the right mindset to go out there and do what we've been trying to do all year.”

“Today, we played as a team and we executed with a lot of hits,” said freshman Mario Trivella.

“It was a fun day,” said freshman Allan Gil-Fernandez. “The hitting was good and Bryan (Gomez) was spectacular and did what he need to do on the mound.”

Hill II sent Gomez (5-1, 4.74 ERA) to start the final conference road game of the season, while Titans head coach Oscar Espada went with sophomore Braeden Cochran (3-7, 7.60 ERA) to counter.

After the first two innings went scoreless, the Manatees would open on the board first at the top of the third. After sophomore Jalen Hairston drew a two-out walk, Gil-Fernandez wasted no time as he sent a two-run blast to left for his ninth of the season.

“I just was looking for my pitch,” said Gil-Fernandez. “Coach (Hill) gave the green light on 3-0 and once I hit it, I knew it was gone.”

Ordonez would add to the fire as he hit a solo home run to left for his fourth of his season to make it 3-0 SCF.

“I didn't try to do too much and was trying to see the ball up,” said Ordonez. “Luckily, I got a good pitch up and a good barrel on it.”

Meanwhile, Gomez remain on top as the New Yorker would shut the door in the third. At the top of the fourth, the Manatees would extend their lead further. After Trivella and freshman Luke Boykin hit back-to-back singles, sophomore Erick Almonte would ground into a fielder’s choice and reach first while Trivella was called out at second. After Almonte stole second, Hairston would send a single to right-center to bring in Boykin and Almonte to make it 5-0 SCF.

At the top of the fifth, the Manatees would add their final runs of the game beginning with a leadoff walk by Ordonez. After freshman Walker Vanecek hit a single, sophomore Luis Garrido would move the runners to scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Ordonez scored on a wild pitch. One batter later, Boykin would show his speed on a 1-2 count as he lined a ball to left past the left fielder to bring in Vanecek before putting on the afterburners to score with an inside the park home run for his fourth of the season before Trivella sent a solo home run of his own to left for his first collegiate home run of the season.

“It felt awesome,” said Trivella on his first collegiate home run. “I've been waiting for this for almost two years and I finally got it. I got a good barrel and it paid off.”

After Almonte hit a single to left, Hairston would power a triple to left-center to bring in Almonte to make it 10-0 SCF before Gomez closed the bottom half of the inning to seal the victory for the Manatees.

Gomez would improve to 6-1 after throwing a two-hit five inning shutout with one walk and two strikeouts.

“I felt comfortable on the mound,” said Gomez. “My mindset was just throwing strikes and get ahead as soon as I could to work on my off-speed pitches. The key to this game was establish my fastball for strikes and be as efficient as I could and it worked.”

“Bryan threw the way we expected him to throw this year,” said Hill II on Gomez. “He had some ups and downs, but we know what he was capable of and threw a good ball game.”

Cochran would fall to 3-8 after giving up eight runs on 10 hits with two walk and four strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings. Freshman Garrett Moran would give up two runs on three hits with one strikeout in one-third of an inning of relief.

Five Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Hairston that lead the way as he went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Boykin would follow after going 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, two runs and one walk, while Ordonez went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs and one walk and Trivella went 2-for-3 with a home run. Vanecek would round out the order going 2-for-3 with a run.

Gil-Fernandez (1-for-3, home run, two RBI), Almonte (1-for-4, two runs and two stolen bases) and Garrido (1-for-2) had the remaining hits.

For the Titans, sophomores Brett Wagner and RJ Gutierrez had the lone two hits.

Up Next:

The Manatees will wrap up the season against St. Pete at Wynn Field Saturday afternoon, April 27 at 1 and 4 pm. Sophomore Brandon Clarke will be give the nod to start game, while redshirt Palmer O’Beirne will start game two.

SCF BVB Opens States with Split

Lakewood Ranch, Fla - The SCF beach volleyball team (8-5) were able to start off strong to open their portion of the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 State Tournament at the UMR Sports Complex as they defeated Lake Sumter State (8-13) 3-2 before falling to Palm Beach State (16-8) 3-2.

FSCJ vs SJR:

On Thursday, St. John's River State (3-15) open the state tournament with a qualifier as they shutout Florida State College at Jacksonville (0-9) to face Palm Beach State in the next round.

PBSC vs SJR:

Following their victory over Florida State College at Jacksonville, Palm Beach State would shutout St. John's River 5-0 to advance to the winner's bracket, while the Vikings fell into the loser's bracket.

SCF vs Lake Sumter:

The Manatees would open with a quick victory as the freshmen duo of Aleksandra Wrobel and Addison Beaver defeated the duo of sophomores Cassidy Rountree and Leanne Blue 21-14, 21-13 at the #2 spot. The sophomore duo of Bailee Perry and Isabella Rebimbas would follow with a two-set victory over sophomores Berklee Andrews and Allie Cox 21-14, 21-11 at the #4 spot.

Needing only to clinch one more match, the duo of sophomore Kayla Gentry and freshman Rhea Kohl defeated sophomore Kaylee Hunt and Yarelis Lopez Osorio 21-7, 21-12 at the #1 spot to help the Manatees advance to the winner's bracket and face Palm Beach State.

Despite the Manatees winning the first three matches, play would resume as the Lakehawks would win at the #3 and #5 spots in three sets. The Lakehawks would move down to the loser's bracket.

LSSC vs SJR:

Following SCF's win, Lake Sumter would defeat St. John's River State 3-1 to advance in the loser's bracket while St. John's ended their season.

SCF vs PBSC:

The Manatees opened quickly with Wrobel and Beaver defeating the duo of Marilyn Cesaro and Aleksandra Hamuda at the #2 spot before Perry and Rebimbas defeated Giovanna Bock and Patrycja Kabala at the #4 spot, but the Panthers ultimately took the remaining pairs to advance to the finals of the tournament.

Up Next:

The Manatees would look to keep their playoff hopes alive as they face Lake Sumter in the loser's bracket Saturday morning, April 20 at 11 am. If they win, then they will automatically qualify for the NJCAA Beach Volleyball Championship in Huntsville, Alabama. If they lose, they will await for a chance for an at-large bid.

SCF Baseball Takes Game One Over EFSC

Bradenton, Fla - Sophomore Erick Almonte's heroics at the plate and on the field helped the SCF baseball team (27-21, 14-14 Citrus) pull off a big win as they defeated Eastern Florida State (21-23-1, 12-16 Citrus) 6-5 at Robert C. Wynn Field.

"I thought today's game was a playoff atmosphere type of game today," said head coach Tim Hill II. "Both teams were fighting for their life and it came down to the very last pitch and fortunately we got one more run than Eastern Florida."

"I think we came together well," said Almonte. "We were a little sloppy in the beginning, but we came through and got the win."

"I thought it was a great battle and we played great as a team," said freshman Luke Boykin. "Pitching was great for both sides and we came on top."

"It was definitely a battle for us," said sophomore Brandon Clarke. "We went through a bit of a deficit early, but we found a way to battle back and got the dub."

"The energy was low in the beginning and we had a meeting where we had to compete," said freshman Daniel Hartley. "At the end of the game, we all competed and came out on top."

Hill II sent Clarke (5-2, 4.69 ERA) to start the game, while Titans head coach Steven Brown went with redshirt sophomore Zaylen Perry (1-2, 4.88 ERA) to counter.

The Titans would get on the board first at the top of the first after a sacrifice fly by redshirt sophomore Hector Mangual. The Manatees would respond back in the bottom of the second as Almonte would send a sacrifice fly to center to bring in freshman Mario Trivella to tie the game at 1-1.

At the top of the third, the Titans would regain the lead after a two-run single by freshman Ryan Cerrone made it 3-1 Eastern Florida. They would make it 4-1 after sophomore Laheim Bell scored on a wild pitch. The Manatees would not faulter in the bottom half of the inning as Boykin would send a two-out solo home run to left for his third of the season to make it 4-2 still in the Titans' favor.

"I felt good hitting the home run," said Boykin on his home run. "I was trying to see good pitches and it paid off for the win."

The Manatees would continue to fight in the bottom of the fifth beginning with a leadoff single by sophomore Jalen Hairston. After classmate Santiago Ordonez (single) and freshman Walker Vanecek (walk) loaded the bases, freshman Hayden Gustavson would cut the lead to one as he sent a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Hairston before sophomore Luis Garrido sent a single to left to bring in Ordonez and tie the game at 4-4.

After Clarke finished the sixth, Hill II would send Hartley to the mound at the top of the seventh. Following the change in pitchers, the Titans would regain the lead as freshman Jeff Davis would score on a fielding error to make it 5-4. Hartley was still able to get out of the inning before fighting through the top of the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Manatees put together the rally that they needed beginning with a leadoff single to right by Garrido. After Trivella moved Garrido to second on a sacrifice and Boykin struck out, all eyes turned to Almonte on the first pitch as the upcoming transfer for the University of Central Florida towered a two-run homer to right for his third of the season.

"I was thanking god for the day in the beginning of the game and asking for peace," said Almonte on his home run. "From there, I got a good pitch and hit it out to help the team win."

With Hartley still on the mound, the Titans hit a two-out single to stay alive. Cerrone, who would step to the plate on a full count, would hit a line drive to try and get a single, but Almonte's defense would pay off as he dove for the ball for the game-saving catch to seal the victory for the Manatees.

"I was just ready to dive for the ball," said Almonte on the catch. "In the end, it paid off and we got the win."

"Erick was the player of the game," said Hill II on Almonte. "He really came in clutch for us when we were down and when we needed him."

Clarke and Perry would both earn no-decisions in their starts. Clarke would give up four runs (three earned) on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts in six innings of work, while Perry gave up four runs on six hits with five walks and five strikeouts in four and a third innings.

"I felt pretty good on the mound," said Clarke. "I was giving up contact early in the game and was a little behind, but as the game went on, I got sharper and was able to get ahead and get batters out to help get the win."

Hartley would improve to 2-3 after giving up one unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts in three innings of relief.

"I felt good with my fastball command," said Hartley. "I was just trying to let my defense work."

Sophomore Anthony Cordero would fall to 1-1 and get a blown save after giving up two runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in two innings of relief.

Three Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Almonte that lead the way as he went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and one stolen base. Hairston would also go 3-for-4 with a run and a walk, while Garrido rounded out the order after going 2-for-3 with an RBI, one run and one walk.

Ordonez (1-for-5, one run), Boykin (1-for-3, one home run and one walk) and freshman Allan Gil-Fernandez (1-for-5) had the remaining three hits, while Gustavson (one RBI), Trivella (one run and one walk) and freshman Walker Vanecek (two walks) also contributed in the game.

For the Titans, redshirt sophomore Carlos Cordero lead the way in hitting as he went 3-for-4 with two runs, while Cerrone lead the way offensively as he went 1-for-4 with two RBI.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

RV Indian River State (32-11, 20-8 Citrus) 14, Hillsborough (23-26, 9-19 Citrus) 3

Santa Fe (28-18, 16-12 Citrus) 10, St. Pete (16-27, 9-19 Citrus) 0

Central Florida (27-20, 15-13 Citrus) 15, Daytona State (16-24, 8-20 Citrus) 12

#12 Florida Southwestern (32-16, 21-7 Citrus) 6, Miami Dade (24-22, 16-12 Citrus) 2

Polk State (32-19, 17-11 Citrus) 9, Seminole State College of Florida (24-24, 11-17 Citrus) 2

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #12 Florida Southwestern (32-16, 21-7)

2. RV Indian River State (32-11, 20-8)

3. Polk State (32-19, 17-11)

4. Miami Dade (24-22, 16-12)

5. Miami Dade (24-22, 16-12)

6. Central Florida (27-20, 15-13)

7. SCF (27-21, 14-14)

8.  Eastern Florida State (21-23-1, 12-16)

9. Seminole State College of Florida (24-24, 11-17)

10. Hillsborough (23-26, 9-19)

11. St. Pete (16-27, 9-19)

12. Daytona State (16-24, 8-20)

Up Next:

The Manatees will look to keep pushing to get a spot in the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 State Tournament as they will head to Melbourne to continue their series with Eastern Florida State at Bruce Bochy Field Saturday afternoon, April 20 at 1 and 3:30 pm. Redshirt freshman Palmer O'Beirne (5-1, 5.52 ERA) will start game one, while sophomore Preston Wetherell (1-2, 5.79 ERA) will start game two.

SCF Baseball Slams IMG Academy

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (26-21, 13-14 Citrus) were able to pull off an impeccable win for their midweek game as they defeated the IMG Academy postgraduate team 16-2 in eight innings.

"The pitching was good, the bats swung well and we played good defense," said head coach Tim Hill II. "When you do these things no matter who you play, you'll have a good result. It was nice to see the guys play well."

"It was good to have everyone compete and play," said freshman Gavyn Bowen. 

"It's important that we stayed focused and that helped us win," said freshman Hayden Gustavson.

Hill II sent Bowen (1-0, 7.30 ERA) to start the game, while IMG head coach Ryan Ward went with Alex Gay.

The Manatees would open on the board first at the top of the first beginning with a one-out walk by sophomore Jalen Hairston before stealing. Freshman Allan Gil-Fernandez would then drive in Hairston with a double to right-center and then advance to third on a wild pitch before classmate Walker Vanecek would then drive Gil-Fernadez in with a sacrifice fly. After sophomore Luis Garrido hit a bunt single, Gustavson, who had not played the last three games, would send a two-run home run to right for his third of the season to make it 4-0 SCF.

At the top of the second, the Manatees would increase their lead further. After Almonte drew a one-out walk and stole second and third, Gil-Fernandez would drive him in with a single to center before Vanecek drove a double to deep left-center to bring in Gil-Fernandez to make it 6-0 SCF. One inning later, it would go to 7-0 after Hairston hit an RBI single to bring in sophomore LT Cockrill.

Meanwhile, Bowen remained steadfast on the mound as he held the Ascenders hitless for four innings before giving up his first hit in the bottom of the fifth. The Wisconsin native was able to prevent any runs from scoring after the fifth.

The Manatees would increase the lead to 8-0 at the top of the sixth after freshman Mario Trivella hit an RBI double to bring in Gustavson. In the bottom half of the inning, sophomore Trey Clucas would then come in and breeze through the inning.

At the top of the seventh, the Manatees would increase the lead to double digits. After Almonte (walk and two stolen bases), Hairston (walk and a stolen base) and Gil-Fernandez (hit by a pitch) loaded the bases, freshman Rex Smith, who came in to pinch hit for Vanecek would groundout and bring in Almonte before Gustavson sent a single to right to bring in Hairston and Gil-Fernandez and make it 11-0 SCF. In the bottom half of the inning, the Ascenders would get their first runs on the board as Riley Thuringer would hit a two-run homer to right. The Manatees would add their final run on the board as Hairston would send a single to right to bring in Almonte before sealing the victory.

Bowen would improve to 2-0 after throwing five scoreless inning with three hits and three strikeouts. Clucas would give up two unearned runs on two hits with five strikeouts in three innings of relief.

"It was good to see them throw strikes and they didn't walk anybody," said Hill II on Bowen and Clucas. "To not do that today was good to see."

Gay would get the loss after giving up seven runs on six hits with five walks and three strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings.

Three Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Gustavson that lead the way in hitting and offense as he went 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and three runs scored.

"It was good to see him barrel some ball out," said Hill II on Gustavson.

Hairston (2-for-5) and Gil-Fernandez (2-for-4) rounded out the order with two hits and two RBI. Hairston added two runs, two walks and two stolen bases, while Gil-Fernadez added three runs and one walk.

Vanecek (1-for-3, two RBI), Garrido (1-for-3, one run), Trivella (1-for-3, one RBI, one run and two walks) and Cockrill (1-for-5, one run) had the remaining four hits, while Almonte (three runs, three walks and four stolen bases) also contributed in the game.

Thuringer lead the Ascenders in hitting and offense as he went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Hillsborough (23-25, 9-18 Citrus) 10, Seminole State College of Florida (24-22, 11-16 Citrus) 2

#12 Florida Southwestern (31-16, 20-7) 7, TNXL Academy 10

Polk State (28-18, 16-11 Citrus) 12, South Florida State (22-24, 11-12 Sun Lakes) 6

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #12 Florida Southwestern (31-15, 20-7)

2. RV Indian River State (31-11, 19-8)

3. Polk State (28-18, 16-11)

4. Miami Dade (24-21, 16-11)

5. Santa Fe (26-18, 15-12)

6. Central Florida (26-19, 14-13)

7. SCF (26-21, 13-14)

8. Eastern Florida State (21-22-1, 12-15)

9. Seminole State College of Florida (24-22, 11-16)

10. Hillsborough (23-25, 9-18)

11. St. Pete (16-26, 9-18)

12. Daytona State (16-23, 8-19)

Up Next:

The Manatees return to Citrus Conference play as they face Eastern Florida State (21-22-1, 12-15 Citrus) for their next three-game series. Game one will take place at Robert C. Wynn Field in Bradenton Thursday night, April 18 at 6 pm. Games two and three will take place at Bruce Bochy Field in Melbourne Saturday afternoon, April 20 at 1 and 3:30 pm.

SCF Baseball Splits at Santa Fe

Gainesville, Fla - The SCF baseball team (25-21, 13-14 Citrus) were able to pull a split against Santa Fe (26-18, 15-12 Citrus) winning game one 11-5 in 12 innings before losing game two 6-4.

Game One:

Head coach Tim Hill II sent redshirt freshman Palmer O'Beirne (5-1, 5.72 ERA) to start game one, while Santa Fe head coach Johnny Wiggs went with sophomore Justin Jackson (9-2, 2.00 ERA) to counter.

The Saints would get on the board first in the bottom of the first as sophomore Corey Filey would send an RBI double to left for a 1-0 lead. After the second inning went scoreless, the Manatees would respond at the top of the third beginning with a leadoff single by redshirt freshman Mario Trivella. After sophomore Erick Almonte hit a double to right to put runners in scoring position, classmate Jalen Hairston would line a single to right and bring in Trivella and Almonte for a 2-1 SCF lead. Two batters later, sophomore would hit a single to right before classmate Luis Garrido sent a double to left to bring in Hairston and make it 3-1 SCF.

Meanwhile, O'Beirne would continue to put zeros on the Saints' board with the defense backing him up for the next three innings. At the top of the seventh, the Manatees would increase their lead to 5-1 after Gil-Fernandez sent a two-run home run to left-center for his eighth of the season. This would send freshman Nick Staszak to the mound to finish the seventh.

The Saints would not go without a fight in the bottom of the seventh. After O'Beirne got the first out and threw two walks to load the bases, Hill II would pull him out and send sophomore Bryan Gomez (4-0, 5.17 ERA) to come in for relief. This would give the Saints a chance to put their offense up where they would eventually tie the game at 5-5 after an RBI single by Filey, a bases-loaded walk by sophomore Grant Gallagher and a two-run single by freshman Javier Soto. Miraculously, Gomez was able to strikeout the next two batters and force the seventh inning game to extra innings.

For the next four innings, it would be a pitcher's duel between Gomez and Staszak as both pitchers would throw a combined eight strikeouts with Gomez having seven of them.

At the top of the 12th, the Manatees would push themselves to take the lead beginning with a leadoff single by freshman Luke Boykin before Trivella moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. After Almonte reached first on a bobbled fielding error by the Saints and Boykin moved to third, Hairston would draw an intentional walk to load the bases for Smalley. On a 1-2 count, the upcoming transfer for the University of Houston would line a single to center to bring in Boykin and give the Manatees a 6-5 lead. They would not stop as Gil-Fernadez would up the score with a double to left to bring in in Almonte and Hairston before sophomore Santiago Ordonez would hit a hard single ton left to bring in Smalley. After Garrido moved Ordonez to second with a sacrifice bunt, sophomore Jayce Blalock would put the finishing touches of run as he sent a single to right to bring in Gil-Fernandez and Ordonez and make it 11-5 SCF before Gomez sealed the 12th for a Manatee win.

O'Beirne and Jackson would both earn no-decisions in their starts as they each threw six and a third innings. O'Beirne would give up four runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts, while Jackson gave up five runs on 11 hits with three walks and nine strikeouts.

Gomez would improve to 5-0 after giving up one run on six hits with two walks and a career-high 11 strikeouts in five and two-thirds innings of relief.

Staszak would fall to 3-4 after giving up six runs (three earned) on six hits with six walks and two strikeouts in five and two-thirds innings of relief.

All nine Manatees in the starting lineup had at least one hit with five having a multi-hit game. It was Gil-Fernandez that lead the way offensively as he went 2-for-5 with a home run, four RBI, two runs and two walks.

Almonte (3-for-6), Hairston (3-for-5) and Ordonez (3-for-6) lead the way in hitting with three hits each. Almonte added two runs and one walk, while Hairston added three runs, two RBI and two walks and Ordonez added on RBI and one run.

Trivella rounded out the order as he went 2-for-5 with a run.

Smalley (1-for-7, one RBI and one run), Garrido (1-for-5, one RBI and one walk), Blalock (1-for-4, two RBI and three walks and Boykin (1-for-7, one run) had the remaining four hits.

For the Saints, Soto (3-for-6) and redshirt sophomore BJ Graham (3-for-5) would lead the way in hitting as they each had three hits with Soto leading the way with two RBI

Game Two:

Hill II sent sophomore Preston Wetherell (1-1, 4.95 ERA) to start game two while Wiggs went with redshirt freshman Macklin Miller (0-1, 10.80 ERA) to counter.

After the first inning went scoreless, the Manatees would get on the board first. After Garrido lead off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt, Trivella would pop a double to center and bring in Garrido. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Almonte would send a double to left-center bring in Trivella and make it 2-0 SCF.

The Saints would then cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the third after a sacrifice fly by Soto before taking a 5-2 lead one inning later thanks to two runs on two wild pitches, an RBI single by sophomore Connor Fosnow and an RBI double by Soto before adding their final run on another RBI by Fosnow to make it 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth.

The Manatees would try to rally at the top of the sixth after Blalock and Gil-Fernandez drove in runs on two RBI groundouts, but it would be all they could produce as the Saints took the series with the win.

Wetherell would fall to 1-2 after giving up four runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts in three and a third innings.

Miller would earn a no-decision after giving up two runs on two hits with four walks in two innings. Redshirt freshman Lucas Johns would improve to 1-1 after giving up two runs on four hits with two walks and one strikeout in three innings of relief, while sophomore Nick Davidson threw two scoreless innings of relief with two walks to earn his first save.

Freshman Walker Vanecek would lead the way in hitting as he went 2-for-4 at the plate. Almonte (1-for-3, one run, one RBI and one walk), Hairston (1-for-1, three walks and two stolen bases), Trivella (1-for-3, one run, one RBI and one walk) and Ordonez (1-for-1, one run) had the remaining four hits, while Blalock (one RBI), Gil-Fernandez (one RBI and one walk), Garrido (one run and one walk) and Boykin (one walk) also contributed in game two.

For the Saints, sophomore AJ Barrios lead the way in hitting as he went 3-for-4, while Fosnow lead the way offensively after going 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #16 Florida Southwestern (31-15, 20-7)

2. RV Indian River State (31-11, 19-8)

3. Polk State (27-18, 16-11)

4. Miami Dade (24-21, 16-11)

5. Santa Fe (26-18, 15-12)

6. Central Florida (26-19, 14-13)

7. SCF (25-21, 13-14)

8. Eastern Florida State (21-22-1, 12-15)

9. Seminole State College of Florida (24-22, 11-16)

10. Hillsborough (22-25, 9-18)

11. St. Pete (16-26, 9-18)

12. Daytona State (16-23, 8-19)

Up Next:

The Manatees will travel less than three miles for their next midweek game as they will place the IMG Academy Postgraduate team Tuesday night, April 16 at 5 pm before their three-game series against Eastern Florida State (21-22-1, 12-15 Citrus) on Thursday, April 18 and Saturday, April 20.

SCF Softball Splits with Seminole

Sanford, Fla - The SCF softball team (18-20, 11-17 Citrus) were able to hold their own with a split against RV Seminole State (22-18, 12-16 Citrus) losing game one and winning game two both by a score of 4-3.

Game One:

Head coach Mandy Schuerman sent freshman Ryleigh Bennett (4-5, 4.20 ERA) to start game one, while Seminole State head coach Courtney Miller went with freshman Samantha Titzel (7-6, 5.82 ERA) to counter.

The first three innings were a pitcher's duel between Bennett and Titzel with Bennett gaining the upper hand in strikeouts. At the top of the fourth, the Manatees would get on the board first as redshirt sophomore Jordan O'Brien would send a double to left-center to bring in freshman Hailey Margetis for 1-0 lead. The Lady Raiders would respond back in the bottom of the fourth and take a 2-1 lead on a fielding error and an RBI by sophomore Alyssa Julien. The lead for the Lady Raiders would increase to 3-1 one inning later after an RBI double by sophomore Avery Brewer.

The Manatees would put another run on the board at the top of the sixth as Margetis would bring in sophomore Janessa Benavides with a single to center. The Lady Raiders would respond in the bottom half of the inning after an RBI double freshman Anna Green.

At the top of the seventh, the Manatees would try one last time to try and tie the game after sophomore Karsyn Rutherford hit an RBI double to bring in freshman Saremi Flores and cut the lead to 4-3, but it was all they could produce as the Lady Raiders took game one.

Bennett would fall to 4-6 after giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits with three walks and nine strikeouts in six innings of work. She was also 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk.

Titzel would improve to 8-6 after giving up three runs on 10 hits with one walk in six innings. Freshman Grace Thomas would earn her third save after throwing one scoreless inning of relief with one walk.

Aside from Bennett, Margetis and O'Brien were each 2-for-3 with an RBI with Margetis adding one run and one stolen base.

Benavides (1-for-4, one run), Flores (1-for-3), Rutherford (1-for-3, one RBI) and freshman Lydia Denton (1-for-3) had the remaining four hits, while sophomore Haley Rosenbaum (one walk) also contributed.

Sophomore Lindsay Corazzini lead the way in hitting as she went 2-for-3 with two runs and a stolen base.

Game Two:

Looking to go for the split, Schuerman went with freshman Julianna Stachowicz (10-7, 1.65 ERA) to start game two while Miller went with redshirt sophomore Cassidy Ross (8-9, 4.29 ERA).

The Lady Raiders would score one run in the first two innings. The first inning saw them score on a Manatee fielding error. This would be followed by a leadoff solo home run in the second by Green for her third of the season.

At the top of the third, the Manatees would get on the board as O'Brien would send a double to left to bring in Benavides. The Lady Raiders would respond in the bottom half of the inning after a sacrifice fly by sophomore Mel Bullock made it 3-1 Seminole State.

At the top of the fourth, the Manatees would cut the lead to 3-2 as Rosenbaum would bring in sophomore Jaylin Padro with a double.

After the fifth inning went scoreless, the Manatees would showcase their power as sophomore Alissa Kessler would send a leadoff solo home run to center for her ninth of the season and tie the game at 3-3. One batter later, Denton would show power of her own as she sent a solo home run to left for her first collegiate home run and give the Manatees a 4-3 lead before they sealed the victory.

Stachowicz would improve to 11-7 after throwing a complete game, giving up three runs (two earned) on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts. She was also 2-for-4 at the plate.

Ross would fall to 8-10 after giving up four runs on 10 hits with two walks and two strikeouts in six and a third innings while going 1-for-4 at the plate with a run. Thomas would throw two-thirds of a scoreless inning of relief with one walk.

Apart from Stachowicz, Padro would lead the way in hitting as she went 2-for-3 with a run and a walk.

Rosenbaum (1-for-4, one RBI), Benavides (1-for-3, one run, one walk and two stolen bases), Kessler (1-for-3, one home run and one walk), O'Brien (1-for-4, one RBI), Denton (1-for-3, one home run) and Rutherford (1-for-3) each had one hit.

Green lead the offense for the Lady Raiders as she went 1-for-3 with the home run.

Up Next:

The Manatees return home to the SCF Softball Complex as they welcome #3 Florida Southwestern (39-5, 26-4 Citrus) for a doubleheader Tuesday, April 9 at 4 and 6 pm.

SCF Baseball Takes Series Over Indian River State

Bradenton, Fla  - The SCF baseball team (24-18, 12-12 Citrus) were able to take the series over RV Indian River State (29-10, 17-7 Citrus) with a split losing game one 3-2 before winning game two 6-5 in 10 innings.

"It was nice to walk it off in the second game and take the series against Indian River," said head coach Tim Hill II. "I thought the whole series was great and it came down to the last out in all three games. It was disappointing to lose the first game, but I thought Palmer (O'Beirne) pitched really well and we had our chance to win the game, but couldn't get the big hit. It was the same in the second game"

"I thought we played well as a team overall," said sophomore Jalen Hairston. "We had our defense pick us up several times in the field and our bats came alive late in the game. Batters never gave up and we always stuck together and never gave up."

"I felt like our defense and pitching was getting better each game," said sophomore Bryan Gomez. "We had big zeros when we needed them and we got the big hit to win the series"

"We played great defense today and turned a lot of double plays," said freshman Pip Smalley. "It was a good overall team win."

Game One:

For game one, Hill II sent redshirt freshman Palmer O'Beirne (5-1, 6.21 ERA) to start game one, while Indian River State head coach Frank Torre Jr. went with sophomore Chris Hanson (5-0, 3.88 ERA) to counter.

For five innings, it was a pitcher's duel between O'Beirne and Hanson as both pitchers exchanged a combined eight strikeouts with O'Beirne having seven of them. During the top of the third inning, the Pioneers had a chance to score on a sacrifice fly, but a strong throw by sophomore Jayce Blalock to classmate LT Cockrill prevented the run from scoring.

At the top of the sixth, the Pioneers would get on the board first thanks to a two-run single by freshman Jacob Weatherspoon for a 2-0 lead for the Pioneers. In the bottom half of the inning, the Manatees would fight back beginning with Smalley getting hit by a pitch before advancing to second on a wild pitch. After sophomore Allan Gil-Fernandez hit single to center, sophomore Luis Garrido would line a single to left to bring in Smalley. After sophomore Santiago Ordonez drew a walk, Gil-Fernandez scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2.

At the top of the seventh, the Pioneers would eventually take the lead after freshman Brett Patten lined a solo home run to right for his sixth of the season before they sealed the victory.

Both O'Beirne and Hanson earned a no-decision. O'Beir would give up two runs on six hits with five walks and four strikeouts in six innings, while Hanson gave up two runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts in five and two-thirds innings.

Freshman Dylan DeLeo would fall to 1-1 after giving up one run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout in one-third of an inning of relief. Classmate Ryan Slattery would threw two-thirds of a scoreless inning of relief.

Freshman Christopher Knier would improve to 6-1 after throwing one and a third scoreless innings of relief.

Garrido would lead the way in hitting as he went 3-for-3 with an RBI, while Gil-Fernadez went 2-for-3 with one run. Smalley would have the remaining hit as he went 1-for-2 with a run, while Ordonez (walk) also contributed in the game.

Patten lead the way in hitting as he went 2-for-3 with a home run, while Weatherspoon lead the offense as he went 1-for-2 with two RBI.

Game Two:

Looking to take the rubber match, Hill II sent sophomore Preston Wetherell (1-1, 4.61 ERA) while Torre went with redshirt sophomore Cade Drohan (2-1, 3.00 ERA).

The Pioneers would open on the board first at the top of the first after RBI singles by sophomores Daniel Baez and Matthew Rubin and a sacrifice fly by classmate Raul Feliz made it 3-0 Indian River. The Manatees would respond in the bottom half of the inning after a leadoff double by sophomore Erick Almonte before Smalley sent a two-run homer to right for his fourth home run of the season and cut the Pioneers lead to 3-2. After the second inning went scoreless, the Manatees would tie the game at 3-3 after Gil-Fernandez would send a double to left to bring in Hairston.

While the fourth and fifth inning went scoreless, the Manatees would fight to take their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth. After freshmen Luke Boykin (single), Mario Trivella (walk) and Hairston (walk) loaded the bases, Smalley would send a double to left to bring in Boykin and Trivella for a 5-3 SCF lead before being pulled out due to an injury.

At the top of the seventh, the Pioneers would cut the lead to 5-4 after an RBI double by freshman Maikol Lucena. They would try to tie the game on a sacrifice fly, but Blalock would not allow that to happen as he was able to throw out the runner at home for another double play. At the top of the eighth, the Pioneers would eventually tie the game after a fielder's choice and fielding error, but Gomez would get out of the inning and prevent further damage.

After both team were unsuccessful to finish the game in the eighth and ninth inning, the game would go to extra innings. Gomez would get the first two outs with ease before a two-out single was hit by Rubin, but a strong throw by Ordonez would get the runner out for trying to steal second and give the Manatees a chance.

In the bottom of the 10th, the Manatees took the moment to get the win beginning with a leadoff single by Boykin that hit third base. After Trivella moved Boykin to second on a sacrifice bunt, Almonte would draw a walk. All eyes turned towards Hairston on an 0-2 count and with one swing of the bat, the upcoming transfer for the University of Kentucky would send a fly ball to right-center that almost went out for a home run, but would drop in for a double while Boykin took the risk and scored to give the Manatees a walk-off win and seal the series.

"It was a great feeling," said Hairston on getting the walk-off hit. "I wasn't trying to do too much at the plate and we won the game."

"He hit the ball pretty good and we took a chance to get Luke (Boykin) in," said Hill II on Hairston's game-winning hit. "He came up big when we needed him."

Wetherell and Drohan would both earn no-decisions in their starts. Wetherell would give up four runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in six and a third innings, while Drohan would give up three runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts in five innings.

Gomez would improve to 4-0 after giving up one unearned run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts in three and two-thirds innings of relief.

"I felt pretty good," said Gomez. "While I didn't have my best stuff, we played for each other. I know they needed me in the moment, so I had to step up and we came together to get the win."

Redshirt freshman Samuel Beir would fall to 2-3 after giving up one run on two hits with one walk and one strikeout in one and a third innings of relief.

Four Manatees had a multi-hit game in the second game. It was Boykin that lead the way in hitting as he went 3-for-5 with two runs. Smalley would lead the way offensively as he went 2-for-4 with four RBI.

"While I did feel a little out of it at the plate, I'm glad I was able to help any way I can," said Smalley. "My body was kind of hurting and I was just trying to get good pitches to hit and keep my eye on the ball."

Hairston and Almonte would round out the order as they each had two hits apiece. Hairston (2-for-5) added one RBI, one run and one walk, while Almonte added one run and two walks.

Gil-Fernandez (1-for-5, one RBI) and Trivella (1-for-2, one run and two walks) had the remaining two hits, while Ordonez (one walk) also contributed in the game.

For the Pioneers, Rubin lead the way in hitting as he went 3-for-5 with an RBI.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Santa Fe (23-17, 13-11 Citrus) split with RV Florida Southwestern (28-14, 18-6 Citrus) winning game one 5-4 in eight innings before losing game two 10-0 in five innings.

Central Florida (25-16, 13-11 Citrus) swept their doubleheader over Hillsborough (21-22, 9-15 Citrus) by scores of 3-2 and 11-10.

Miami Dade (22-19, 15-9 Citrus) split with Daytona State (14-22, 6-18 Citrus) winning game one 9-2 before losing game two 15-2 in six innings.

Polk State (27-18, 14-10 Citrus) split their doubleheader with Eastern Florida State (20-20-1, 11-13 Citrus) winning game one 2-1 before losing game two 5-2.

Seminole State College of Florida (20-22, 8-16 Citrus) swept St. Pete (15-24, 8-16 Citrus) in their doubleheader by scores of 3-2 and 8-4.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. RV Florida Southwestern (28-14, 18-6)

2. RV Indian River State (29-10, 17-7)

3. Miami Dade (22-19, 15-9)

4. Polk State (27-18, 14-10)

5. Central Florida (25-16, 13-11)

6. Santa Fe (23-17, 13-11)

7. SCF (24-18, 12-12)

8. Eastern Florida State (20-20-1, 11-13)

9. Hillsborough (21-22, 9-15)

10. Seminole State College of Florida (20-22, 8-16)

11. St. Pete (15-24, 8-16)

12. Daytona State (14-22, 6-18)

Up Next:

The Manatees will be back in action at home as they welcome Miami Dade Monday night, April 8 at 5 pm before their next series against Santa Fe College.

SCF Baseball Takes Win Over Indian River State

Fort Pierce, Fla - The SCF baseball team (23-17, 11-11 Citrus) were able to open their next series in success as they defeated RV Indian River State (28-9, 16-6 Citrus) 6-4 at the Massey Campus Baseball Field in Fort Pierce.

"I thought Brandon (Clarke) threw very well as well as Indian River's starter," said head coach Tim Hill II. "Pip (Smalley) had some big hits that really helped us after a slow start. We look forward to playing them on our home field Saturday."

Hill II sent sophomore Brandon Clarke (5-2, 4.65 ERA) to the mound, while Indian River State head coach Frank Torre Jr. went with sophomore Angelo Smith (3-2, 6.14 ERA) to counter.

After the first two innings went scoreless, the Manatees would get on the board at the top of the third as freshman Allan Gil-Fernandez would send a single to left to bring in sophomore Jalen Hairston for a 1-0 SCF lead. The Pioneers would then tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth after an RBI groundout by freshman Maikol Lucena.

After the next two innings went scoreless, the Manatees would regain the lead at the top of the seventh. After sophomores Luis Garrido and Jayce Blalock drew back-to-back walks and Torre Jr sent freshman Christopher Knier to the mound for relief, freshman Mario Trivella would ground into a fielder's choice before reaching first and advancing to second on a throwing error while Garrido scored. After Hairtston was hit by a pitch, freshman Pip Smalley would send a single to center and bring in Trivella to make it 3-1 SCF. In the bottom of the seventh, the Pioneers would eventually take a 4-3 lead after a two-run triple by sophomore Daniel Baez and a sacrifice fly by sophomore Matthew Rubun. 

The Manatees would then tie the game at 4-4 after an RBI single by Blalock drove in sophomore Santiago Ordonez. In the bottom half of the inning, the Pioneers would load the bases and looked to try and take the lead, but a popout to Smalley would end the Pioneers chances of doing so.

At the top of the ninth, the Manatees would push one last time to take the lead. After a leadoff single by sophomore Erick Almonte and a double by Hairston, Smalley would do his part on the first pitch and send a single to center to bring in Almonte and Hairston to make it 6-4 SCF. From there, the Manatees were able to seal the victory and take the first game.

Clarke and Smith would both earn no-decisions in six innings of work each. Clarke gave up one run on four hits with three walks and eight strikeouts, while Smith gave up three runs on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.

Freshman Daniel Hartley would earn the win and improve to 1-2 after giving up three runs on three hits with four walks and two strikeouts in three innings of relief.

Redshirt Samuel Beir would fall to 2-2 after giving up two runs on three hits with one strikeouts in one innings of relief.

Three Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Smalley that would lead the way offensively as he finished 2-for-5 with three RBI. Gil-Fernandez would finish 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Hairston rounded out the order going 2-for-4 with a run.

Almonte (1-for-4, two runs and one walk), Ordonez (1-for-5, one run), Blalock (1-for-1, one RBI and one walk) and freshman Walker Vanecek (1-for-4) had the remaining four hits, while Garrido (one run and one walk) and Trivella (one run and one walk) also contributed in the game.

For the Pioneers, Baez lead the way in hitting and offense as he finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and run at the plate.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Central Florida (23-16, 11-11 Citrus) 10, Hillsborough (21-20, 9-13 Citrus) 5

RV Florida Southwestern (27-13, 17-5 Citrus) 16, Santa Fe (22-16, 12-10 Citrus) 10

St. Pete (15-22, 8-14 Citrus) 2, Seminole State College of Florida (18-22, 6-16 Citrus) 1

Miami Dade (21-18, 14-8 Citrus) 2, Daytona State (13-21, 5-17 Citrus) 1

Polk State (26-17, 13-9 Citrus) 13, Eastern Florida State (19-19-1, 10-12 Citrus) 5

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. RV Florida Southwestern (27-13, 17-5)

2. RV Indian River State (28-9, 16-6)

3. Miami Dade (21-18, 14-8)

4. Polk State (26-17, 13-9)

5. Santa Fe (22-16, 12-10)

6. Central Florida (23-16, 11-11)

7. SCF (23-17, 11-11)

8. Eastern Florida State (19-19-1, 10-12)

9. Hillsborough (21-20, 9-13)

10. St. Pete (15-22, 8-14)

11. Seminole State College of Florida (18-22, 6-16)

12. Daytona State (13-21, 5-17)

Up Next:

The Manatees will continue their series at Robert C. Wynn Field Saturday afternoon, April 6 at 12 and 4 pm. Freshman Palmer O'Beirne (5-1, 6.21 ERA) will be given the nod to start the first game, while game two's starter will be a game-time decision.

SCF Softball Sweeps Daytona State

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF softball team (17-19, 10-16 Citrus) got back on the winning side of things for conference as they swept Daytona State (19-21, 10-16 Citrus) 9-7 and 7-6 (8). With the sweep, the Manatees took the overall series over the Falcons 3-1.

"We were able to capitalize on their mistakes and that helped us gain momentum in game one and they did a great job, team-wise, fighting back," said head coach Mandy Schuerman. "We did a good enough job to get the wins."

"I think that we did really well," said freshman Lydia Denton. "I thought stringing those hits was really important. The defense was better and I think we can build on that, but overall we found a way to fight through it and come out with the win."

"I thought overall we did well as a team," said freshman Hailey Margetis. "We did our job and Juli (Stachowicz) did a good job pitching in the second game and Ryleigh (Bennett) slayed in the first game."

"I think we did a good job getting base runners on when we needed to," said freshman Ryleigh Bennett. "We executed well in some situations and came out with a lot of energy while having fun."

Game One: 

Schuerman sent Bennett (3-5, 4.06 ERA) to start game one, while head coach Ben Greer went with sophomore Allizaya Talamantes (10-8, 2.60 ERA) to counter.

The Falcons would open on the board first at the top of the first as they would score off of a fielder's choice by sophomore Sky Ramos. The Manatees would respond back in the bottom half of the inning beginning with Bennett (reach on an error), sophomore Alissa Kessler (reaching on an error) and freshman Hailey Margetis (walk) loading the bases with two out before freshman Lydia Denton popped a single to second to bring in Bennett. From there, sophomore Maddisan Noriega would then line a double down past the third base line to bring in Kessler and Margetis and give the Manatees the lead before sophomore Taylor Halback sent a single to left to bring in Denton and Noriega to make it 5-1 SCF.

In the bottom of the second, the Manatees would increase the lead further beginning with Rosenbaum getting hit by a pitch and sophomore Janessa Benavides drawing a walk before both runners advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch, Bennett would send an infield single to short to bring in Rosenbaum After Kessler hit into a sacrifice fly to bring in Benavides, Denton would send a single to center and bring in Bennett to make it 8-1 SCF.

Bennett would then hold the Falcons scoreless in the third and fourth inning, but upon the fifth inning, the Falcons would get four runs on the board after two RBI singles and scoring on a Manatee fiedling error. One inning later, the Falcons would add another run on the board after an RBI single by freshman Olivia McCronan made it 8-6 SCF. The Manatees were able to turn a double play off of a unsuccessful sacrifice fly thanks to Bennett and Halback.

In the bottom of the sixth, after sophomore Karsyn Rutherford drew a leadoff walk, Greer would be ejected from the game for arguing balls and strikes. The Manatees would add one final run on the board as Bennett would send a sacrifice fly to bring in Rutherford to make it 9-6 SCF. The Falcons would add one more run at the top of the seventh off of a Manatee fielding error, but it would be all they could produce as the Manatees were able to take the first game.

Bennett would improve to 4-5 after giving up four runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings. She was also 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and two runs. Freshman Julianna Stachowicz would earn the save after giving up one unearned run on one hit with two walks and four strikeouts in two innings of relief.

Talamantes would fall to 10-9 after giving up five unearned runs on four hits with one walk in two-thirds of an inning. Sophomore Madison Mitzel gave up two runs with one walk in one-third of an inning of relief, while freshman Bianca Guerra gave up two runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in five innings of relief.

Denton and Rosenbaum each had two hits. Denton (2-for-3) lead the way with two RBI and one run, while Rosenbaum (2-for-3) added one run and one stolen base.

Noriega (1-for-3, two RBI and one run) and Halback (1-for-3, two RBI) and the remaining two hits, while Benavides (one run and one walk), Kessler (one RBI and one run), Margetis (one run and one walk), Rutherford (one run and one walk) and sophomore Brielle Bostow (one-third of a inning of relief) also contributed in game one.

For the Falcons, sophomore Christina Penney lead the way in hitting as she went 3-for-3 with two run and an RBI, while classmate Kadrianna Grinstead lead the way in offense as she went 1-for-2 with two RBI and two walks.

Game Two:

Looking to go for the sweep, Schuerman sent Stachowicz (9-7, 1.42 ERA) to start game two, while assistant coach Mackenzie Enev, who took over after Greer's ejection in the first game, went with sophomore Emma Ream (5-6, 3.93 ERA).

The Falcons would open on the board first at the top of the first as sophomore Brianna Weimer sent a one-out solo home run to left for her seventh home run of the season. The Manatees would respond back in the bottom of the second beginning with Denton reaching second on a fielding error. After freshman Saremi Flores drew a two-out walk, Rutherford would slap a single to left to bring in Denton before Rosenbaum sent a single to center to bring in Flores and give the Manatees a 2-1 lead.

At the top of the third, the Falcons would tie the game at 2-2 after freshman Logan Ringel scored on a fielding error. The Manatees would respond back in the bottom half of the inning starting with leadoff double by Bennett before redshirt sophomore Jordan O'Brien came in to pinch run. After freshman Olivia Rogers drew a walk, Stachowicz would showoff her bat and send a double to right-center to bring in O'Brien and Rogers to give the Manatees a 4-2 lead.

After the fourth inning went scoreless, the Falcons would cut the Manatees' lead to 4-3 after an RBI single by sophomore Kiera Mainolfi, but the Manatees would respond with a run of their own as Flores would reach base on a fielding error while Kessler scored to make it 5-3 SCF. One inning later, Bennett would make it 6-3 as she sent a single to left to bring in Rosenbaum.

At the top of the seventh, the Falcons would not go away as freshman Morgan Davis would hit a three-run home run to center for her second home run of the season to tie the game at 6-6. The Manatees would be unable to win the game in the bottom half of the inning as the game would go to extra innings.

After the Falcons failed to produce at the top of the eighth, the Manatees would take a chance to go for the win. After Bennett and Kessler hit back-to-back singles, before moving to scoring position, Stachowicz would draw a walk and load the bases for Margetis, who came in to pinch hit for Flores. On the first pitch, the Wesley Chapel native would send a single to center passed the shortstop and bring in Bennett for the walkoff win and sweep.

"When I got told I was pinch hitting, I knew I had a job to do," said Margetis on the game-winning hit. "There was a good amount of pressure, but I knew that there was a job that needed to be done. If it wasn't me, then it was someone else to make the win. Once I saw the pitch come in I knew that was it and I took the chance."

"That's a hero moment when you have a pinch hitter help walk off the game for us," said Schuerman on Margetis. "It was good to see Hailey come out for a hero moment like that."

Stachowicz would improve to 10-7 after throwing an eight-inning complete game, giving up six runs (five earned) on eight hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts. She was also 1-for-3 with two RBI and a walk at the plate.

Ream would earn a no-decision after giving up six runs (two earned) on 10 hits with three walks and three strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings. Talamantes would fall to 10-10 after giving up one run on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in one inning of relief.

Four Manatees had a multi-hit game in game two. Bennett would lead the way as she went 3-for-5 with a run, an RBI and a stolen base. She would finish 4-for-8 with three RBI and three runs.

"At the plate, I was looking to see good pitches and if it was there, then I swing at it," said Bennett. "On the mound, I was just more focused on doing my job, while helping my team do theirs, so I don't put too much pressure on certain situations"

Rosenbaum (2-for-4), Kessler (2-for-5) and Rutherford (2-for-4) rounded out the order with two hits each. Rosenbaum added one run and one RBI, while Kessler added one run and Rutherford added one RBI.

Flores (1-for-3, one run and one walk), Denton (1-for-5, one run) and Margetis (1-for-1, one RBI) had the remaining three hits, while Noriega (one walk) and Rogers (one run and one walk) also contributed in the game. Denton would finish 3-for-8 with two RBI in both games.

"I felt confident," said Denton. "I was trying to get on base any chance I get. My teammates came back

For the Falcons, Weimer lead the way in hitting as she went 2-for-3 with a home run, while Davis lead the way in offense as she went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.

Up Next:

The Manatees will travel to Sanford for their next doubleheader as they face RV Seminole State College of Florida (21-17, 11-15 Citrus) Saturday afternoon, April 6 at 12 and 2 pm.

SCF Baseball Beat SFSC

Avon Park. Fla - The SCF baseball team (22-17, 10-11 Citrus) pulled off another win in non-conference play as they defeated South Florida State (19-19, 8-9 Sun Lakes) 10-7 on the road.

“Impressive job by Preston (Wetherell) and Trey (Clucas) on the mound today,” said head coach Tim Hill II. “The guys do make the game very interesting, but I'm happy that they pulled off the game with a win.”

“I think we established early on that we were going to throw strikes,” said sophomore Trey Clucas. “From the start, the hitters provided us some run support and as a whole we played a solid game all-around. It was big for us.”

“We threw some strikes and ended up getting the 'W',” said sophomore Preston Wetherell.

Hill II sent Wetherell (1-1, 4.66 ERA) for his first start of the season while SFSC head coach Rick Hitt went with sophomore Brandon White (0-1, 8.31 ERA) to counter.

The Manatees would open on the board first at the top of the first beginning with a one-out single by sophomore Jalen Hairston before freshman Pip Smalley sent a double to right center to bring in Hairston before scoring on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 SCF.

The Panthers would respond back in the bottom half of the inning after an RBI single by freshman Brandon Vargas and an RBI double by sophomore Jean Cuello tied the game at 2-2.

After the next two innings went scoreless, the Manatees would add their next series of runs at the top of the fourth. After a one-out singles by Trivella and freshman Walker Vanecek before both runners moved to scoring position on a passed ball. After Vanecek scored on a wild pitch, sophomore Jayce Blalock would seize an opportunity and send a hard ground ball to center to bring in  Trivella. After sophomore LT Cockrill (walk) and sophomore Luis Garrido (single) loaded the bases, sophomore Erick Almonte would hit into a fielder’s choice to bring in Blalock and make it 5-2 SCF. 

At the top of the eighth, Cockrill would show his power as he sent a solo home run to center for his second of the season.

“I called it was the first thing I thought when I hit that home run,” said Cockrill on his home run. “It was the best ball I hit in my life and it went out to dead center, which was awesome.”

The Panthers would then respond in the bottom half of the inning after a sacrifice fly by sophomore Derek Bermudez made it 6-3 still in SCF’s favor.

At the top of the ninth, the Manatees would add their final runs on the board beginning with a lead off single by Hairston. After freshman Allan Gil-Fernandez hit a single of his own, Vanecek would single to left and bring in Hairston before Trivella sent a single to left to bring in Gil-Fernandez for his first collegiate RBI. After a sacrifice fly by Blalock drove in Vanecek, Garrido would line a double to left-center and bring in Trivella to make it 10-3 SCF.

The Panthers would respond in the bottom of the ninth with four runs, but it would be all they could produce as the Manatees sealed the victory.

Wetherell and White would both earn no-decisions. Wetherell gave up two runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts in four innings, while White gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts in one inning.

“A little bumpy in the beginning, but I felt good on the mound,” said Wetherell. “I could have thrown more strikes, but I still came out strong."

Clucas would earn the win after throwing three scoreless innings with one hit, two walks and three strikeouts in three innings of relief. Freshman Dylan DeLeo would earn the save after throwing one-third of a scoreless inning of relief.

“I felt really good on the mound,” said Clucas. “For me, it was establishing on throwing first pitch strikes in the zone and attacking hitters in the zone. When I do that, I felt I did what I did and contribute to the team.”

Sophomore Andrew Dawson would fall to 0-3 after giving up three runs on four hits with one walk in one inning of relief.

Five Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Vanecek and Garrido that lead the way in hitting as they each had three hits. Vanecek (3-for-3) added one RBI, two runs and two walks, while Garrido (3-for-5) added one RBI.

Hairston (2-for-5), Gil-Fernandez (2-for-4) and Trivella (2-for-5) rounded out the order with two hits each. Hairston added two runs, while Gil-Fernandez added one run and one walk and Trivella added one RBI and two runs.

Blalock lead the way in offense as he went 1-for-4 with two RBI and one run.

Smalley (1-for-5, one RBI and one run) and Cockrill (1-for-3, one home run and one walk) had the remaining two hits, while Almonte (one RBI), and freshmen Gavyn Bowen (one inning of relief with one strikeout) and Ryan Salttery (two-thirds of an inning of relief with one strikeout) also contributed in the game.

For the Panthers, Bermudez lead the way in hitting and offense as he went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Notes:

This was the debut of Trivella, who sat out last season due to injury

“It's been a long road,” said Trivella on his debut. “I worked so hard for this. Mentally, I'm very prepared to come back and do much more.”

“It was good to see Mario make his official debut for us,” said Hill II on Trivella’s debut. “We have been anticipating this for him after he got cleared, so it was good to see him in his first game.”

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Santa Fe. (22-15. 12-9 Citrus) defeated Florida State College at Jacksonville (12-12, 6-11 Sun Lakes) 4-3.

Seminole State College (18-21, 6-15 Citrus) defeated Eastern Florida State (19-18-1, 10-11 Citrus) 8-3 in non-conference play.

Hillsborough (21-19, 9-12 Citrus) fell to Pasco-Hernando State (21-17, 11-7 Sun Lakes) 12-2.

RV Florida Southwestern (26-13, 16-5 Citrus) defeated St. Pete (14-22, 7-14 Citrus) 19-7 in non-conference play

Polk State (25-17, 12-9 Citrus) defeated the University of Tampa JV (8-7) 10-7.

Central Florida (22-16, 10-11 Citrus) defeated St. John's River State (25-16, 10-8 Sun Lakes) 11-7.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. RV Indian River State (28-8, 16-5)

2. RV Florida Southwestern (26-13, 16-5)

3. Miami Dade (20-18, 13-8)

4. Polk State (25-17, 12-9)

5. Santa Fe (22-15, 12-9)

6. Central Florida (22-16, 10-11)

7. SCF (22-17, 10-11)

8. Eastern Florida State (19-18-1, 10-11)

9. Hillsborough (21-19, 9-12)

10. St. Pete (14-22, 7-14)

11. Seminole State College (18-21, 6-15)

12. Daytona State (13-20, 5-16)

Up Next:

The Manatees will resume Citrus Conference play as they face RV Indian River State (28-8, 16-5 Citrus) for their next series. Sophomore Brandon Clarke (5-2, 4.65 ERA) will be given the nod to start game one in Fort Pierce.