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.
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