Davis Takes Home Two Weekly Accolades

Bradenton, Fla. - Freshman Myles Davis took home two weekly awards for the SCF baseball team as he was not only named the NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week, but was named the NJCAA National Player of the Week. He became the first Manatee since Brandon Fields (2022) to receive the national weekly award.

Davis, a native of Marion, Iowa, batted .625 (10-for-16) with three home runs and nine RBI in four games last week against then #11 Florida Southwestern (now #7) and St. Pete. He is currently batting .374 with 55 hits, 35 runs, five home runs and 34 RBI as the starting DH.

Against FSW, Davis went 4-for-5 with two home runs, four runs scored and five RBI, in which he was the first Manatee to hit a multi-home run game since Owen Ayers on March 28, 2022. In the series against St. Pete, Davis went 6-for-11 with a home run and four RBI.

Davis and the Manatees will look to keep their momentum going as they travel to Niceville to take on Northwest Florida State in the Niceville Regional of the NJCAA Region 8 State Baseball Tournament.

SCF Baseball Reach NJCAA Top 25 Polls

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team rose in the ranks nationally as they landed at #25 in the NJCAA National Poll on Monday.

The Manatees had a busy and important week in their last four games of the regular season.  On Tuesday, they would win an 12-11 extra inning game over then #11 Florida Southwestern (now #7). Following that win over #11 FSW, the Manatees would head into the weekend against St. Pete College where they would sweep them by scores of 12-2, 7-4 and 13-2. As a result, they would finish in third place in the Citrus Conference with a helping hand from then #7 Indian River State (now #11) winning a doubleheader and the series over then #21 Central Florida. 

The Manatees finished the regular season 35-19 with nine wins over Top 25 ranked opponents at the NJCAA Division I and II levels. SCF will now focus on the postseason where they will be on the road in a best-of-three series Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the Nicevillw Regional at the NWFSC Baseball Complex.

SCF Baseball Sweeps SPC in Regular Season Finale

Clearwater, Fla - The SCF baseball team (35-19, 20-13 Citrus) were able to take their second sweep of Citrus Conference play on the road as they defeated St. Pete (9-39, 6-27 Citrus) 7-4 in nine innings and 15-2 in five innings on St. Pete's sophomore day. With the two wins and #7 Indian River State taking two wins over #21 Central Florida in their doubleheader, the Manatees finished third in the Citrus Conference.

"It was nice to finish the season on a positive note," said head coach Tim Hill II. "It’s always  tough to sweep teams in our conference when were down to our last out in the first game, but Luke (Boykin), Ryan (Kaitz) and Mario (Trivella) had some tough at-bats to give us the lead and then we did what we needed to do in extra innings. The bats came alive better in the second game and Oscar threw well. We have some guys in our lineup that can hit the ball out, so that obviously helped us today, especially Myles (Davis), who had a big week for us. I'm very glad to be back in postseason for our 50th state tournament appearance and I'm so very happy for the guys who have worked hard to get us back into the state tournament.

"Overall, I thought we played very well," said sophomore Oscar Hernandez. "The first game was a bit of a battle, but good teams are able to win games like that. The sweep was definitely huge for us to gain momentum before next week while still locking in on the little things for the playoffs. Making the playoffs feels great, but we know the job is far from over. Getting this program back to the playoffs was the first step and now we have to keep winning."

"It felt good to take this series," said sophomore Walker Vanecek. "We took care of who we needed to take care of."

"We definitely handled our business today," said sophomore Connor O'Sullivan. "We had a lot of contributions from a lot of different players. It was a nice series series win and sweep as a team. Going into the playoffs with all this positive momentum cannot be understated. We are all very excited for the opportunity that we have in front of us in the next coming weeks."

Game One:

Hill II sent freshman Lochlan Radloff (7-4, 3.33 ERA) to start game one, while St. Pete head coach Oscar went with sophomore Mel Rubiera (0-2, 5.28 ERA) to counter.

For the first four innings of the game between Radloff and Rubiera as both pitchers were able to prevent runs from getting on the board. Eventually, the Titans would get on the board first in the bottom of the fifth after a bases loaded walk by freshman Drew Pynes and sophomore Yeriel Pastrana getting hit by a pitch would give them a 2-0 lead. The Manatees would then cut the Titans' lead to 2-1 at the top of the sixth after Vanecek drove in freshman Ryan Kaitz with a single to left to make it 2-1 SPC.

At the top of the seventh, the Manatees would take their first lead of the game as sophomore Mario Trivella would send a triple to right-center to bring in Kaitz and sophomore Luke Boykin to make it 3-2 SCF. The Titans would not go down quietly as they tied the game at 3-3 after an RBI single by Pynes before the game went into extra innings.

After eighth went scoreless for both teams, the Manatees would rally together and retake the lead. After Boykin (hit by a pitch), Kaitz (single) and Trivella (walk) loaded the bases, Vanecek would pump up the Manatees bats as he grounded a single to center to bring in Boykin and Kaitz before sophomore Connor O'Sullivan would pop a single to center to bring in Trivella. After freshman Clayton Evans hit a single to load the bases, classmate Dominic Donatucci would bring in freshman Bernard Barnes, who came in to pinch run for Vanecek, with a groundout to make it 7-3 SCF.

The Titans would add one more run to the board as sophomore Jose Rangel would send a solo home run to right for his third of the season, but it would not be enough as the Manatees took the game and the overall series.

Both Radloff and Rubiera would each earn a no-decision in their starts. Radloff gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts in five innings, while Rubiera gave up one run on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts in five innings.

Redshirt freshman Cole Dement would get the win and improve to 3-2 after giving up one run on two hits with three strikeouts in two innings of relief. Sophomore Daniel Hartley gave up one run on three hits in two innings of relief.

Sophomore Garrett Moran would get the loss and fall to 1-2 after giving up two runs on three hits with one walk in one inning of relief.

Vanecek would be the only Manatee with a multi-hit game and lead the offense as he went 2-for-3 with three RBI.

"I felt good out there today," said Vanecek. "It felt good to get back in the groove of things timing wise."

Trivella would follow on offense as he went 1-for-2 with two RBI, one run and three walks. Boykin (1-for-4, two runs), Kaitz (1-for-1, three runs and one walk), O'Sullivan (1-for-1, one RBI), Evans (1-for-4), sophomores CJ Richard (1-for-4) and Allan Gil Fernandez (1-for-5) and freshmen Myles Davis (1-for-4, two walks) and Ben Ryan (1-for-2) had the remaining hits.

For the Titans, Rangel (3-for-3) and freshman Joseph DiCesare each had three hits, while Pynes lead the way offensively going 1-for-4 with two RBI.

Game Two:

Looking to take the sweep, Hill II sent Hernandez (7-4, 5.27 ERA) to the mound, while Espada countered with freshman Chris Conde (0-3, 9.90 ERA).

The Manatees would open on the board first at the top of the first as freshman Holden Brauner would hit a lead off solo home run to right for his fifth of the season. After Davis reached first on a fielding error, Gil Fernadez would send a triple to right-center to bring in Davis. Two batters later, freshman Mattie Counts would send a single to right to bring in Gil Fernandez to make it 3-0 SCF.

The Manatees would then extend their lead at the top of the second as O'Sullivan would show off his first bit of power as he sent a solo homer to right for his first collegiate home run of his career.

"It was a great feeling being greeted at the dugout by all of my teammates," said O'Sullivan on his first home run. "It always feels special to contribute in a big way to a big win for the team."

After freshman Will Rawls hit a single and moved to second on a groundout, Davis would show his power as well as he sent a solo home run to left-center for his fifth of the season and make it 6-0 SCF. The Titans would put in their only runs on the board in the bottom half of the inning as freshman Amarri Daniel would send a two-run homer to center for his fifth of the season and make it 6-2 still in SCF's favor. At the top of the third, Trivella would lead the inning off with power as he hit a solo home run to right for his sixth of the season. 

The lead would increase further at the top of the fourth. After Rawls and Davis each hit a single, Rawls would get caught stealing before Gil Fernandez and Ryan drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Trivella would then draw a walk of his own to bring in Davis and reload the bases before Counts lined a single to center to bring in Gil Fernandez and Ryan. Kaitz would then draw a walk to reload the bases before O'Sullivan sent a single of his own to center and bring in Trivella and Counts and Rawls lined a single to left to bring in Kaitz to make it 13-2 before sealing the victory and the series sweep.

Hernandez would improve to 8-4 after throwing a five inning complete game, giving up two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

"I felt good, but it's very easy to pitch when your team gives you such a big cushion," said Hernandez on his game. "I love pitching for these guys and hopefully I have a few more wins left in the chamber.

Conde would fall to 0-4 on the year after giving up six runs (four earned) on six hits with one strikeout in one and a third innings. Sophomore Emilio Rodriguez would give up six runs on four hits with three walks in two and a third innings of relief, while classmate Christian Del Campo gave up one run on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in one and a third innings.

Four Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Davis and Rawls that lead the way in hitting with three hits each. Davis (3-for-4) had a home run, two RBI and three runs, while Rawls (3-for-3) had one run and one RBI.

Counts (2-for-3) and O'Sullivan (2-for-3) lead the way offensively with two hits, one run and three RBI each.

Brauner (1-for-4, one home run), Gil Fernandez (1-for-2, one RBI, two runs and one walk) and Trivella (1-for-3, one home run, two runs, two RBI and one walk) had the remaining hits.

For the Titans, freshman Lenin Nunez lead the way in hitting as he went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Daniel had the lone multi-RBI game as he went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

#7 Indian River State (34-14, 24-9 Citrus) swept #21 Central Florida (34-16, 19-14 Citrus) 10-0 and 8-6.

#11 Florida Southwestern (39-13, 24-9 Citrus) swept Polk State (27-28, 14-19 Citrus) 6-5 (8) and 12-0 (5).

Seminole State College of Florida (29-22, 17-16 Citrus) split with Daytona State (14-30, 12-21 Citrus) losing game one 9-3 before winning game two 12-2 in five innings.

Santa Fe (24-26, 15-18 Citrus) split with Hillsborough (20-30, 12-21 Citrus) winning game one 2-1 before losing game two 4-3.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #11 Florida Southwestern (39-13, 24-9)*^

2. #7 Indian River State (34-14, 24-9)*^

3. SCF (35-19, 20-13)*

4. #21 Central Florida (34-16, 19-14)*

5. Eastern Florida State (29-19, 17-14)

6. Miami Dade (28-21, 16-15)

7. Seminole State College of Florida (29-22, 17-16)

8. Santa Fe (24-26, 15-18) e

9. Polk State (27-28, 14-19) e

10. Hillsborough (20-30, 12-21) e

11. Daytona State (14-30, 12-21) e

12. St. Pete (9-39, 6-27) e

* - Clinched spot in the tournament

^ - Citrus Conference Regular Season Champions

e - eliminated from playoff contention

Up Next:

The Manatees will look to see who they face in the regionals of the NJCAA Region 8 State Baseball Tournament.

SCF Baseball Takes Win Over SPC; Secures Playoff Spot

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (33-19, 18-13 Citrus) pulled off a second walk-off win as they defeated St. Pete (9-37, 6-25 Citrus) 12-2 in six innings via the mercy rule. As a result of their win, the Manatees clinched an automatic spot in the NJCAA Region 8 State Baseball Tournament.

"It was a nice win for sure and that win also clinched a state tournament spot for us so that was big," said head coach Tim Hill II. "After a rough start, Aidan pitched pretty well and anytime you run rule somebody, the bats must have done some good things. Just about everybody contributed. We're looking to close out the season on a positive note on Saturday to get some momentum headed to the playoffs next week."

"Overall, I felt the team did great," said freshman Mattie Counts. "We attacked early and didn't let off the gas from start to finish. Aidan (Ray) gave us a great effort on the mound limiting their offense, working out of jams and gave us a chance to run up the score. Our goal when we face St. Pete on Saturday is to relentlessly attack, quickly jump on their pitching and trust our pitchers to throw strikes while controlling the game and playing clean defense to help our pitchers stay efficient."

"I thought the team did great," said freshman Clayton Evans. "We played hard and stayed focused the entire game. For Saturday, we just need to stay locked in, play our game and finish strong."

Hill II sent freshman Aidan Ray (3-2, 4.42 ERA) to the mound, while St. Pete head coach Oscar Espada went with sophomore Andres Bermudez (1-2, 9.11 ERA) to counter.

The Titans would end up on the board first at the top of the first after an RBI triple by sophomore Jose Rangel and an RBI single by freshman Drew Pynes made it 2-0 St. Pete. The Manatees would respond in the bottom half of the inning beginning with a one-out walk by freshman Myles Davis, sophomore Allan Gil Fernandez being hit by a pitch and freshman Ben Ryan drawing a walk to load the bases, sophomore Mario Trivella would get hit by a pitch and bring in Davis and reload the bases for freshman Mattie Counts. On a 3-1 count, the transfer from the University of South Florida would clear the bases with a double to make it 4-2 SCF. One inning later, the Manatees would extend the lead to 5-2 after an RBI single by sophomore Luke Boykin drove in freshman Holden Brauner.

In the bottom of the third, the Manatees would continue adding to their lead. After a two-out single by sophomore Connor O'Sullivan and a walk by freshman Clayton Evans, Brauner would send a single to center and bring in O'Sullivan before Davis brought in Evans with a single to left to make it 7-2 SCF. One inning later, Counts would bring in Boykin with an infield single to make it 8-2 SCF.

The Titans would try to score a run at the top of the fifth off of a single by freshman Lenin Nunez, but a strong throw by Brauner would tag out sophomore Mel Rubiera at home and prevent the Titans from scoring.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Manatees would bump their run total to double digits beginning with leadoff double by Evans before moving to third on a fly out. Davis would then send a single to left to bring Evans. After Gil Fernandez reached on a fielding error, Boykin would send a double to center and bring in Davis to make 10-2 SCF. One inning later with O'Sullivan hitting a pop single to center, Evans would seal the victory for the Manatees as he hit a two-run home run to left for his third of the season and walk off the game.

"It felt amazing," said Evans on the walk-off home run. "I just wanted to help the team and I'm glad I came through."

Ray would improve to 4-2 after throwing a six-inning complete game, giving up two runs on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

Bermudez would fall to 1-3 after giving up five runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeout in two innings. Freshman Logan Zavala gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks and one strikeout in two and a third innings of relief, while sophomore Gabriel Vargas gave up two runs on two hits in one inning of relief.

Six Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Counts that would lead the way offensively as he went 2-for-4 with four RBI.

"I felt good at the plate tonight," said Counts. "I'm definitely happy to see myself getting back on track with hard contact when my team needs it, especially in the later stages of the season when we're looking to make a playoff run."

Evans (2-for-3) and Davis (2-for-3) would follow with two hits and two RBI each. Evans added three runs, one walk and one stolen base, while Davis added two runs and one walk.

Brauner (2-for-4) and O'Sullivan (2-for-4) rounded out the order with two hits each as well. Brauner added one run, one RBI and one stolen base, while O'Sullivan added two runs and one stolen base.

Nunez would be the leader in hitting for the Titans as he went 2-for-3 with a run at the plate, while Rangel (1-for-3) and Pynes (1-for-3) each drove in a run.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Seminole State College of Florida (28-21, 16-15 Citrus) 7, Daytona State (13-29, 11-20 Citrus) 1

Hillsborough (19-29, 11-20 Citrus) 11, Santa Fe (23-25, 14-17 Citrus) 3

#21 Central Florida (34-14, 19-12 Citrus) 9, #7 Indian River State (32-14, 22-9 Citrus) 5

#11 Florida Southwestern (37-13, 22-9 Citrus) 7, Polk State (27-26, 14-17 Citrus) 4

Miami Dade (28-21, 16-15 Citrus) 5, Eastern Florida State (29-19, 17-14 Citrus) 3

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #11 Florida Southwestern (37-13, 22-9) *

2. #7 Indian River State (32-14, 22-9) *

3. #21 Central Florida (34-14, 19-12) *

4. SCF (33-19, 18-13) *

5. Eastern Florida State (29-19, 17-14)

6. Miami Dade (28-21, 16-15)

7. Seminole State College of Florida (28-21, 16-15)

8. Polk State (27-26, 14-17) e

9. Santa Fe (23-25, 14-17) e

10. Hillsborough (19-29, 11-20) e

11. Daytona State (13-29, 11-20) e

12. St. Pete (9-37, 6-25) e

Up Next:

The Manatees will look to go for the sweep over St. Pete as they play them in a doubleheader at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon, April 26 at 1 and 4 pm. Freshman Lochlan Radloff (7-4, 3.33 ERA) will start game one, while sophomore Oscar Hernandez (7-4, 5.27 ERA) will start game two.

SCF Baseball Walks it Off Over FSW

Bradenton, Fla. - In their last non-conference game of the season, the SCF baseball team (32-19, 17-13 Citrus) were able to pull off a walk-off victory at Wynn Field as they defeated #11 Florida Southwestern (36-13, 21-9 Citrus) 12-11 in 10 innings.

"A nice win tonight against a really good FSW team," said head coach Tim Hill II. "It was a back-and-forth game, but in the end it was nice to come out on top, especially after a rough series against Eastern Florida where we did not play our best baseball like we’re capable of. Myles (Davis) had a big night And Holden (Brauner) came up big when we needed it. Both are good players who have done some good things for us this season. We're looking to finish strong with the St. Pete series to punch our ticket to postseason."

"I felt like the team brought the energy tonight," said freshman Myles Davis. "We played really good especially after a hard weekend series. It was very good to carry this game into this weekend where we can bring the energy for our series against St. Pete."

"The team handled business well," said freshman Holden Brauner. "We just went in treating it like the most important game of the season. The more we start building up as a team towards the playoffs, the better."

Hill II sent sophomore Gavyn Bowen (2-0, 6.59 ERA) to the mound, while FSW head coach Zac Cole went with redshirt sophomore Logan O'Leary (2-0, 3.00 ERA) to counter.

After the first two innings went scoreless, the Buccaneers would get on the board first at the top of the third after RBI singles by sophomore Anthony Ruocco and Carlos Sanchez and an RBI groundout by sophomore Jake Mueller made it 3-0 FSW. The Manatees would respond in the bottom half of the inning beginning with freshman Ryan Kaitz hitting a leadoff solo home run to left for his third of the season. After classmate Clayton Evans hit a single of his own before moving to second and sophomore Allan Gil Fernandez drew a walk, Davis would show his power as he sent a three-run homer to left for his third of the season and give the Manatees a 4-3 lead.

FSW would then retake the lead at the top of the fourth after a sacrifice fly by freshman Alex Kuenzle and sophomore Ty Hamilton scored on a wild pitch. One inning later, they would make it 7-4 after a two-run double by redshirt freshman Nathan Fink.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Manatees would start to rally beginning with a leadoff single by Davis. After sophomore Luke Boykin hit a double, classmate Mario Trivella would send a double of his own to right to bring in Davis and Boykin before freshman Dominic Donatucci brought in Trivella with a single to right and tie the game at 7-7. After a wild pitch moved Donatucci to second, Kaitz would send a single to right and bring in Donatucci to make it 8-7 SCF.

The Buccaneers would continue their back-and-forth onslaught at the top of the seventh as Mueller would tower a solo homer to left for his 11th of the season before redshirt sophomore Michael McAloose hit a two-run double to make it 10-8 FSW. The Manatees would then cut the lead to 10-9 in the bottom half of the inning as Trivella brought in sophomore Walker Vanecek with a single to right.

At the top of the eighth, Muller would once again show off his power as he sent another solo home run to right for his 12th of the season and second of the game to make it 11-9 FSW. 

After the Buccaneers failed to score at the top of the ninth, the Manatees would pull off the moment they needed. After Gil Fernandez was hit by a pitch, Davis would pull it together on a full count and send a two-run homer to right for his fourth of the season and second of the ballgame before the game went into extra innings with the International tiebreaker rule in effect.

After FSW failed to bring in a run at the top of the 10th, the Manatees would have a go at it as they placed Kaitz on the second. After one out, Brauner would become the hero as he sent a single to right-center to bring in Kaitz and seal the victory for the Manatees.

"I felt good helping the team secure the win," said Brauner on the game-winning hit. "Without the guys getting the job done throughout the entire season, I wouldn't have been blessed enough to be out in that position. I honestly knew as soon as Hayden (Gustavson) shut the door in the 10th, it would be me or Connor (O'Sullivan) would finish the game off."

Both Bowen and O'Leary earned a no-decision for their starts. Bowen gave up five runs on four hits with six walks and three strikeouts in three and a third innings, while O'Leary gave up four run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in three innings.

Sophomore Hayden Gustavson would earn the win after throwing one-third of a scoreless inning of relief. Freshman Bernard Barnes threw three innings of relief, giving up one run on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts, while sophomore Duke McCarron gave up two runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeouts in one inning of relief and freshman Austin Monahan gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in two and a third innings of relief.

Sophomore Brett Dennis would get the loss after giving up one run on one hit in one-third of an inning.

Three Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Davis that lead the way in hitting and offense as he went 4-for-5 with a two home runs, three runs scored and five RBI.

"I felt good today," said Davis. "It was just one of those days. The only thing on my mind when I hit those home runs was just trying to drive the ball into the gap and that was my approach all night and it worked for me."

Trivella would follow going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run, one walk and one stolen base, while Kaitz rounded out the order going 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs and two RBI. Brauner (1-for-6, one RBI), Boykin (1-for-5, one run) and Evans (1-for-3, one run) had the remaining hits.

For the Buccaneers, Mueller was their offensive leader as he went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI.

Notes:

Davis' two home run game was the first time a Manatee had a multi-home run game since Owen Ayers on March 28, 2022.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Miami Dade (27-21, 15-15 Citrus) defeated #7 Indian River State (32-13, 22-8 Citrus) 14-7.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #7 Indian River State (32-13, 22-8)

2. #11 Florida Southwestern (36-13, 21-9)

3. #21 Central Florida (33-14, 18-12) 

4. SCF (32-19, 17-13)

5. Eastern Florida State (29-18, 17-13)

6. Miami Dade (27-21, 15-15)

7. Seminole State College of Florida (27-21, 15-15)

8. Polk State (27-25, 14-16)

9. Santa Fe (23-24, 14-16)

10. Daytona State (13-28, 11-19)

11. Hillsborough (18-29, 10-20)

12. St. Pete (9-36, 6-24)

Up Next:

The Manatees wrap up the regular with their finale against St. Pete College (9-36, 6-24 Citrus). Game one will take place at Robert C. Wynn Field Thursday night, April 24 at 6 pm, while games two and three take place at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater Saturday afternoon, April 26 at 1 and 4 pm.

SCF Baseball Readies for Final Conference Push

Bradenton, Fla - After falling in their last conference series, the SCF baseball team (31-19, 17-13 Citrus) look to keep their playoff dreams alive for their final series in Citrus Conference play. The Manatees will first welcome #11 Florida Southwestern (36-12, 21-9 Citrus) to Robert C. Wynn Field Tuesday night, April 22 at 6 pm for their last non-conference game of the season.

Following that game, the Manatees will close conference play with a series against St. Pete College (9-36, 6-24 Citrus). Game one will take place at Robert C. Wynn Field Thursday night, April 24 at 6 pm before it heads to Jack Russell Memorial Stadium in Clearwater Saturday afternoon, April 26 at 1 and 4 pm.

Likely Conference Matchups:

Game One - Aidan Ray (3-2, 4.42 ERA) vs Andres Bermudez (1-2, 9.11 ERA)

Game Two - Lochlan Radloff (7-4, 3.33 ERA) vs Mel Rubiera (0-2, 5.28 ERA)

Game Three - Oscar Hernandez (7-4, 5.27 ERA) vs Chris Conde (0-3, 9.90 ERA)

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #7 Indian River State (32-12, 22-8) *

2. #11 Florida Southwestern (36-12, 21-9) *

3. #21 Central Florida (33-14, 18-12)

4. SCF (31-19, 17-13)

5. Eastern Florida State (29-18, 17-13)

6. Seminole State College of Florida (27-21, 15-15)

7. Miami Dade (26-21, 15-15)

8. Polk State (27-25, 14-16) e

9. Santa Fe (23-24, 14-16) e

10. Daytona State (13-28, 11-19) e

11. Hillsborough (18-29, 10-20) e

12. St. Pete (9-36, 6-24) e

* - clinched spot in the FCSAA Playoffs

e - eliminated from playoff contention

Last Time Out:

The Manatees are coming off of being swept in their last series to Eastern Florida State losing by scores of 5-3, 15-4 (5) and 13-10. Despite being swept, the Manatees remain in the top four in conference, and while they are tied for fourth with Eastern Florida State, the Manatees hold the lead due to their overall record.

Playoff Scenario:

In their playoff chance, the Manatees can finish no higher than the #3 or #4 spot. The following scenarios are listed for them to go for either of those two spots.

Scenario 1 (#3 spot): If they sweep St. Pete and #21 Central Florida loses at least two of their three games to #7 Indian River State.

Scenario 2 (#3 spot): They take two of three game and #21 Central Florida loses all three games to #7 Indian River State

Scenario 3 (#4 spot): The Manatees can clinch the #4 spot in conference if they sweep St. Pete and Eastern Florida State loses one of their three games to Miami Dade.

Scenario 4 (#4 spot): The Manatees can clinch the #4 spot in conference if they take two of three over St. Pete and Eastern Florida State loses two of their three games to Miami Dade.

Scenario 5 (#4 spot): If the Manatees and Eastern Florida State sweep their series, the Manatees would secure the #4 spot due to their overall record.

Freshman Lochlan Radloff remains as one of the top pitchers in the state to lead the way on the mound for the Manatees despite losing in his last start. Radloff is currently 7-4 with a 3.33 ERA, 27 walks and 85 strikeouts in 70.1 innings. His six complete games (five of them shutouts) still ranks #1 in the state and tied for #1 in the nation, while his 85 strikeouts are tied for #1 in the state and tied for #4 in the nation.

At the plate, sophomore Luke Boykin and Allan Gil Fernandez and freshman Ben Ryan lead the way.

Boykin is currently batting .336 with 45 hits, 35 runs, 15 home runs and 39 RBI. In the series against Eastern Florida State, he hit two home runs and three RBI. His 15 home runs are ranked #2 in the state and tied for #9 in the nation.

Gil Fernandez is batting . 322 with 49 hits, 47 runs, seven home runs and 37 RBI.

Ryan is batting .338 with 45 hits, 40 runs, eight home runs and 45 RBI.

Scouting #11 FSW:

The Buccaneers are coming off of winning their last series over Miami Dade (9-1 W; 7-3 W; 3-1 L) in conference. While they are second in conference play and are ranked #11 in the NCJAA Top 25 National Polls, FSW is one of three teams to automatically qualify for the NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Tournament.

Sophomores Jake Mueller (.335, 56 hits, 10 home runs and 49 RBI) and Nik Pereira (.359, 47 hits, 10 home runs and 39 RBI) and redshirt freshman Nathan Fink (.305, 47 hits, 10 home runs and 48 RBI) lead the way in hitting for the Buccaneers, while sophomore Abel Albarrian (5-1, 3.25 ERA, 25 walks and 51 RBI) leads the way on the mound.

Scouting St. Pete:

The Titans are coming off of being swept by Santa Fe College in their last conference series and are currently in last place in conference play and will not qualify for the NJCAA Region 8 Baseball Tournament.

Sophomore Jose Rangle leads the way offensively batting .424 with 42 hits, two home runs and 24 RBI, while classmate Esteban Olivares is batting .370 with 30 hits, four home runs and 12 RBI.

How to Keep Up:

Livestats will be provided by GameChanger and all four game will air livestream.

Livestats Link - https://web.gc.com/teams/n7j7U9bdJC3t/2025-spring-state-college-of-florida

Livestream Link -

SCF vs FSW - https://team1sports.com/scfmanatees/

SCF vs SPC (Gm 1) - https://team1sports.com/scfmanatees/

SCF vs SPC (Gm 2 and 3) - https://athletics.spcollege.edu/broadcast/watch

SCF BVB Punches Their Ticket to Nationals

Lakewood Ranch, Fla - Despite falling short in the two-day NJCAA Region 8 Beach Volleyball Tournament, the #2 seed SCF beach volleyball team (12-5) were still able to punch their ticket to the NJCAA National Beach Volleyball Tournament with a 2-2 split. On day one, they defeated #3 seed Lake Sumter State (8-14) 3-2 before falling to #1 seed and eventual winners, Palm Beach State (21-6) 4-1 before splitting day two winning 3-1 over Lake Sumter State before falling 3-1 to Palm Beach State 3-1 in the finals. This was the third straight year that Palm Beach State has won the NJCAA Region 8 Tournament.

"I thought the team did a really good job last year when we faced Lake Sumter in the semifinals," said athletic director and interim head coach Nick Cichielo. "This year, we were able to push past that. Honestly, both games against Palm Beach were very good. They had a couple of points in our favor and we could have been the champions, so it's hard not to feel good about that."

Day One -

Before SCF played, Palm Beach State defeated #4 seed Florida State College at Jacksonville (1-15) 5-0 to advance to the semifinals.

SCF vs Lake Sumter State:

After the #4 pair fell, sophomore Addison Beaver and freshman Taylor would give the Manatees their first point as the All-NJCAA Region 8 #2 pair defeated redshirt freshmen Madeline Noel and Sydney Pickle 21-17, 21-5. The Manatees would then take the lead as sophomore Aleksandra Wrobel and freshman Emma Acedo Lapieza defeated sophomore Braelyn Mittauer and freshman Sophia Cooper 21-14, 21-12 at the #1 pair.

With two matches left, redshirt freshman Bianca Guerrero and freshman Aryanna Spainhower would seal the victory at the #5 pair defeated freshmen Moira Magnum and Jenna Walker 23-21, 21-18 before the Lakehawks took the #3 pair.

Lake Sumter State vs Florida State College at Jacksonville:

Following their loss to SCF, Lake Sumter would defeat Florida State College at Jacksonville 3-0 to remain alive, while the Manta Rays were the first team eliminated.

SCF vs Palm Beach State:

Wrapping up day one, the Panthers would take the first two pairs before Wrobel and Acedo Lapieza defeated sophomore Ava Andreotta and freshman Jasmine Rayner 21-15, 21-14 at the #1 pair. It would ultimately not be enough as the Panthers would take pairs three and five to advance to the championship game.

Day Two -

SCF vs Lake Sumter State:

On day two, the Manatees would fall at the #4 pair before Beaver and Orris defeated Pickle and sophomore Rylee Martineau in three sets by a score of 18-21, 22-20, 15-9 at the #2 pair. The Manatees would then take the lead as Guerrero and Spainhower would defeat Magnum and Walker 21-10, 21-17 at the #5 pair before Wrobel and Acedo Lapieza defeated Mittauer and Cooper 21-18, 21-12 at the #1 pair to seal the victory and secure an automatic spot in the national tournament.

SCF vs Palm Beach State:

Wrobel and Acedo Lapieza would defeat Andreotta and Rayner 21-8, 21-14 at the #1 pair, it would ultimately not be enough as the Panthers would seal three of the pairs and win the tournament.

Notes:

With her four wins in the tournament, Wrobel now has 33 career wins, which surpasses Yeva Serdiuk (31, 2022-23) for most all-time.

"It felt great," said Wrobel on the milestone. "I'm very happy to reach such a milestone, especially during a critical time as the state tournament. I couldn't have done without my partner Emma (Acedo Lapieza) and my teammates' support to help me achieve this."

With her two wins, Beaver has bumped up to 28 wins, which surpasses Kayla David (27, 2021-22) for third all-time and needs three to surpass Seriduk for second all-time.

Up Next:

As they secured their automatic bid, the Manatees can now focus on the NJCAA National Beach Volleyball Tournament in Huntsville, Alabama. There will be a selection show on April 23 at 3 pm to determine who the Manatees will play in round robin play.

SCF BVB Takes Home Conference Awards

Bradenton, Fla - As the SCF beach volleyball team is set for the two-day NJCAA Region 8 Beach Volleyball Tournament to secure an automatic spot in the NJCAA National Tournament, four of their players earned spots on the All-NJCAA Region 8 Teams. Sophomore Aleksandra Wrobel and freshman Emma Acedo Lapieza were named to the first team and sophomore Addison Beaver was named to the second team. Additionally, Wrobel and Acedo Lapieza were named the All-NJCAA Region Pairs team as the #1 pair, while Beaver and freshman Taylor Orris were named as the #2 pair.

Wrobel, a native of Bedzin, Poland, and Acedo Lapieza, a native of Madrid, Spain, are currently 11-2 overall with an 8-1 record in conference play at the #1 spot. Additionally for Wrobel, she is currently second all-time in career wins (29) and needs one more win to become the second Manatee in program history to reach 30 wins since Yeva Serdiuk (31, 2022-23).

Beaver and Orris, natives of Shelby, North Carolina and Venice, Florida respectively, are also 11-2 on the season at the #2 spot. Like Wrobel, Beaver has also made her name on the all-time wins list as she has 26 career wins, which is fourth all-time in program history. She needs two wins to surpass Kayla David (27, 2021-22) for third all-time.

Congrats to all of our Manatees selected.

SCF Baseball Takes Late Rally Over HCC

Tampa, Fla - A late rally in the ninth inning helped the RV SCF baseball team (31-16, 17-10 Citrus) take home another non-conference win over a non-conference opponent as they defeated Hillsborough (17-27, 9-18 Citrus) 5-3 at the Himes Complex in Tampa.

"It’s always nice to get a win on the road," said head coach Tim Hill II. "I thought the guys played pretty well, even though both teams left a lot on base. Despite that, Holden (Brauner) came in with a big hit in the ninth when we needed it. I’m looking forward to our series against Eastern Florida State."

"I thought we played well defensively," said sophomore Duke McCarron. "We also got the job done when it mattered on offense."

"We faced some adversity early on," said freshman Dominic Donatucci. "Nevertheless, we were able to battle back and move past our mistakes. All pitchers had a great mentality on the mound and it really showed today."

Hill II sent sophomore Gavyn Bowen (2-0, 7.54 ERA) to the mound, while Hillsborough head coach Raydon Leaton went with redshirt freshman Luke Jackson (0-0, 1.35 ERA) to counter.

After the first inning went scoreless, the Hawks would score first in the bottom of the second after a sacrifice fly by sophomore Andre Trinchese before increasing the lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth on a Manatee fielding error. 

The Manatees would back respond at the top of the fifth beginning with a leadoff walk by freshman Will Rawls and a single by Donatucci before the Hawks sent freshman Brayden McCluskey to the mound. After the pitching change, Rawls would score on a failed pickoff attempt while Donatucci moved to third on the same attempt. Freshman Myles Davis would then draw a walk before Donatucci scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-2. 

The Hawks would retake the lead to 3-2 in the bottom half of the inning after an RBI groundout by Trinchese before McCarron came in for Bowen to close the fifth. After a scoreless sixth inning, the Manatees would tie the game at 3-3 after freshman Ben Ryan brought in Donatucci at top of the seventh.

After the eighth inning went scoreless, the Manatees would rally at the top of the ninth beginning with a one-out single by sophomore Allan Gil Fernandez. One batter later, classmate Mario Trivella would get hit by a pitch, freshman Holden Brauner would send a single to right to bring in Gil Fernandez before Trivella scored on a fielding error to make it 5-3 SCF and seal the win.

Bowen and Jackson would each earn a no-decision in their starts. Bowen gave up three runs (one earned) on seven hits with four walks and one strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings, while Jackson threw three scoreless inning with three hits in three innings.

McCarron would improve to 2-1 after throwing four scoreless innings of relied with three hits and three strikeouts, while freshman Austin Monahan secured his first save after throwing one-third of a scoreless inning of relief.

"I felt good on the mound," said McCarron. "I just went out there ready to compete with the guy in front of me and have fun."

“It was good to see Duke throw very well today,” said Hill II on McCarron. “He has really good stuff and we need him to throw like that against our conference opponents.”

Sophomore Luke Fikar, who started at second base before coming in to pitch, would fall to 1-4 after giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits in one and two-thirds innings. He was also 2-for-5 at the plate with a stolen base.

Donatucci would lead the way in hitting as he went 4-for-4 with two runs and stolen base.

"I felt very comfortable coming into today," said Donatucci. "Understanding that it's just another day playing the game I love. Everyone on this squad has worked very hard all year and there is no doubt that each and every guy can produce consistently day in and day out."

“Dominic had a good day,” said Hill II on Donatucci. “He’s a really good player and did some nice things offensively and defensively today.”

Gil Fernandez would round out the order going 2-for-4 with a run and a walk. Davis (1-for-4, one walk), Trivella (1-for-4, one run), Brauner (1-for-2, one RBI and one walk) and freshman Bernard Barnes (1-for-5) had the remaining hits.

For the Hawks, aside from Fikar, Matos, sophomore Blake Opie and freshman Zachariah Walker each had two hits in the game.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #7 Indian River State (30-11, 20-7)

2. #10 Florida Southwestern (34-11, 19-8)

3. RV SCF (31-16, 17-10)

4. #22 Central Florida (31-13, 16-11)

5. Eastern Florida State (26-18, 14-13)

6. Miami Dade (25-19, 14-13) 

7. Seminole State College of Florida (25-20, 13-14)

8. Polk State (26-23, 13-14)

9. Santa Fe (20-24, 11-16)

10. Daytona State (12-26, 10-17)

11. Hillsborough (17-27, 9-18)

12. St. Pete (9-33, 6-21)

Up Next:

The Manatees will set their focus on Eastern Florida State (26-18, 14-13 Citrus) for their next Citrus Confrrence series. Game one will take place at Bruce Bochy Field in Melbourne Thursday night, April 17 at 6 pm and games two and three will take place at Wynn Field Saturday afternoon, April 19 at 1 and 4 pm.

SCF Baseball Locked for Eastern Florida State

Bradenton, Fla - The RV SCF baseball team (30-16, 17-10 Citrus) will continue to keep themselves on top with another non-conference game against a conference opponent before another round of Citrus Conference play. The Manatees will take on Hillsborough (17-26, 9-18 Citrus) for a non-conference game at the New York Yankees Himes Complex in Tampa Tuesday afternoon, April 15 at 3 pm before setting their focus on Eastern Florida State (26-18, 14-13 Citrus) for their next series. Game one will take place at Bruce Bochy Field in Melbourne Thursday night, April 17 at 6 pm before games two and three take place at Robert C. Wynn Field Saturday afternoon, April 19 at 1 and 4 pm.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #7 Indian River State (30-11, 20-7)

2. #10 Florida Southwestern (34-10, 19-8)

3. RV SCF (30-16, 17-10)

4. #22 Central Florida (31-13, 16-11)

5. Eastern Florida State (26-18, 14-13)

6. Miami Dade (25-19, 14-13) 

7. Seminole State College of Florida (25-20, 13-14)

8. Polk State (25-23, 13-14)

9. Santa Fe (20-24, 11-16)

10. Daytona State (12-26, 10-17)

11. Hillsborough (17-26, 9-18)

12. St. Pete (9-33, 6-21)

Likely Conference Game Starters:

Game One - Aidan Ray (3-1, 4.06 ERA) vs Owen Simmons (4-4, 3.88 ERA)

Game Two - Lochlan Radloff (7-3, 3.07 ERA) vs Nathan Hook (3-2, 5.08 ERA)

Game Three - Oscar Hernandez (7-4, 4.83 ERA) vs Michael Benedict (4-0, 3.07 ERA)

Last Time Out:

The Manatees are coming off of finishing last week 3-1 overall. They would the week with a 15-4 win over the University of Tampa JV. Following that, they would face Santa Fe where they would fall 14-6 in the opening game before defeating them in a doubleheader by scores of 9-0 and 6-4.

Currently, they are in sole possession of third place in the conference after winning their doubleheader and #6 Florida Southwestern winning their series over #21 Central Florida. Additionally, they are still receiving votes in the NJCAA Top 25 National Polls.

Pitching Control:

On the mound, freshman Lochlan Radloff continues to lead the way on the mound for the Manatees.

Radloff is currently 7-3 with a 3.07 ERA, 24 walks and 80 strikeouts in 67.1 innings of work. In his last start against Santa Fe, he threw a six-hit shutout with two walks and a season-high 12 strikeouts.

Through the entire season, Radloff has thrown six complete games with five of them being shutouts. In fact, his six complete games are not only ranked #1 in the state, but are nationally ranked too as he is currently tied with Connor Frail (Gaston State) for most in the nation. Furthermore, his 80 strikeouts are ranked #1 in the state and are tied for #5 in the nation.

Radloff is not the only pitcher doing well as freshman Aidan Ray and sophomore Oscar Hernandez continue to back him up on the mound as well.

Despite having a rough game Thursday against Santa Fe, Ray is 3-1 with a 4.07 ERA, one save, 24 walks and 53 strikeouts in 51 innings.

Hernandez secured the win over Santa Fe after falling in his last two starts. The upcoming transfer for the University of Tampa is currently 7-4 with a 4.83 ERA, 16 walks and 47 strikeouts.

Batting with Fire:

As far as from the batting side for the Manatees, they are lead by sophomores Luke Boykin and Allan Gil Fernandez and freshman Ben Ryan lead the way.

Boykin, one of the three power hitters in the game, is currently batting 352 with 43 hits, 32 runs, 13 home runs ann 36 RBI. His 13 home runs are ranked #2 in the state and tied for #12 in the nation. Against Santa Fe, Boykin went 3-for-10 with a home run and three RBI.

Gil Fernandez is currently batting .314 with 43 hits, 43 runs, seven home runs and 36 RBI. He went 3-for-10 RBI with an RBI against Santa Fe.

Ryan is currently batting .350 with 42 hits, 37 runs, eight home runs and 44 RBI. He went 5-for-10 with three RBI.

Scouting Hillsborough:

The Hawks are coming off of falling in their last conference series to Seminole State College of Florida. They would win game one 5-3 before falling 4-0 and 9-6 in games two and three. Currently, they are in second to last place in the Citrus Conference.

Sophomore Angel Matos Ocasio leads the way in hitting as he is batting .367 with 51 hits, 26 runs, one home run and 25 RBI, while redshirt freshman Justin Allen is batting .255 with 35 hits, 26 runs, five home runs and 31 RBI.

On the mound, sophomore JD Bryan is 4-5 with a 7.07 ERA, 24 walks and 39 strikeouts.

Scouting Eastern Florida State:

The Titans are coming off of winning their series over Daytona State (6-4 L; 4-0 W; 9-1 W). They are currently fifth in the Citrus Conference standings.

At the plate, sophomore Kevin Smith leads the way batting .340 with 48 hits, 38 runs, four home runs, 31 RBI and 38 stolen bases, while on the mound sophomore Owen Simmons is 4-4 with a 3.88 ERA, 21 walks and 63 strikeouts. 

Additionally, sophomore Michael Benedict also plays a key role in the Titans' starting rotation as he is 4-0 with a 3.07 ERA, one save 15 walks and 44 strikeouts. In his last start, Benedict threw six inning with 10 strikeouts in a 9-1 win over Daytona State, which earned him the NJCAA National Pitcher of the Week accolade.

How to Keep Up:

Livestats Link - https://web.gc.com/teams/n7j7U9bdJC3t/schedule/ebd72c92-ff0a-4f27-b24c-f52eed85083b/info

Livestream Link - 

Game One - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyPGo0EWeY4

Games Two and Three - https://team1sports.com/scfmanatees/

SCF Baseball Takes Doubleheader Over Santa Fe

Bradenton, Fla - The RV SCF baseball team (30-16, 17-10 Citrus) were able to take home a key doubleheader with some assistance at Wynn Field as they defeated Santa Fe (20-24, 11-16 Citrus) 9-0 and 6-4. With the sweep in their doubleheader and #7 Florida Southwestern's split with #18 Central Florida, the Manatees now have sole possession of third place.

"It was a good day today to win both games," said head coach Tim Hill II. "Pitching was very good and Lochlan (Radloff) turned in another terrific performance. He was in control the entire way. Oscar (Hernandez) threw really well in the second game and Cole Dement threw well also which was great to see. It was very encouraging to see our guys be competitive and we played hard for 16 innings. We need to play well coming down the homestretch of our season with another tough citrus conference series coming up against a good Eastern Florida State team."

"We were playing complementary baseball with different aspects of our game picking us up when we needed it," said sophomore Hayden Gustavson. "Whether it was defense, pitching, hitting or anything in between. In the end, it felt good to still take the series after dropping the first game to Santa Fe Thursday and it kept us in the hunt among the top of the conference."

"I think we played as good as we could have," said sophomore Oscar Hernandez. "We had energy from the first inning of the first game until the last inning of the second game and I believe that is exactly what we needed to do to get the series win. Taking this series was huge. We knew we needed to win both today to keep us in the hunt for the conference and after this weekend, we are just one step closer than we were last week."

"I fell like the team really took matters into their own hands today on both sides of the ball," said freshman Holden Brauner. "The pitchers went in and competed every step of the way and the hitters never backed down. It was a huge showing of maturity and competitive nature. Taking this series was huge and just keeps the train rolling on the way to the playoffs and the best time to reach your maximum performance as a team is towards the end of the season through playoffs."

Game One:

Hill II sent freshman Lochlan Radloff (6-3, 3.43 ERA) to start game one, while Santa Fe head coach Johnny Wiggs went with Matthew Pagan (4-4, 5.44 ERA) to counter.

The Manatees would be the ones to open on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first beginning wiht a leadoff triple by sophomore CJ Richard before freshman Myles Davis brought him in with a single to center. One batter later, after freshman Ben Ryan hit a single and sophomore Luke Boykin grounded into a fielder's choice, sophomore Mario Trivella would hit an RBI single of his own to bring in Ryan before Boykin scored on a fielding error to make it 3-0 SCF.

After the second went scoreless for both teams, the Manatees would add to their lead in the bottom of the third as Gustavson would show his speed and send a triple to right to bring in Ryan and Boykin for a 5-0 SCF lead.

While the Manatees continued to hold the lead, Radloff remained calm and collected as the reigning NJCAA Region Pitcher of the Week continued to strikeout as many batters as he could.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Manatees would add their last runs of the first game. After a leadoff double by Trivella before moving to third on a passed ball, Gustavson would send a single to right and bring in Trivella. This would signal the end for Pagan as Wiggs would bring in redshirt sophomore Chase Chappell for relief work and Hill II sent freshman Dominic Donatucci to pinch run for Gustavson. After freshman Ryan Kaitz drew a walk, freshman Clayton Evans would bring in Donatucci with a double to center. Following a sacrifice fly by Richard to bring in Kaitz, Davis would send a single to center to bring in Evans and make it 9-0 SCF before they sealed the victory.

Radloff would improve to 7-3 after throwing a five-hit shutout with two walks and 12 strikeouts. It was his sixth complete game this season as well as his fifth shutout of the season and third 

Pagan would fall to 4-5 after giving up seven runs (six earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts in five innings. Chappell would give up two runs on two hits with two walks in one inning of relief.

Four Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Gustavson that would lead the way as he went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Davis would follow going 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Trivella went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI and Ryan went 2-for-3 with two runs and a walk.

Richard (1-for-3, one run and one RBI), Boykin (1-for-3, two runs) and Evans (1-for-3, one run and one RBI) had the remaining hits for the Manatees.

Freshman Ryan Chase and sophomore Erik Blair lead the way in hitting as they each had two hits.

Game Two:

Looking to take the rubber game, Hill II sent Hernandez (6-4, 4.79 ERA) to start the second game, while Wiggs went with redshirt sophomore Lucas Johns (6-0, 3.88 ERA) to counter.

The Manatees would once again get on the board first in the bottom of the first beginning with a leadoff double by Brauner before moving to third on a groundout. After sophomore Allan Gil Fernandez got hit by a pitch, Brauner would score on a passed ball before Ryan brought in Gil Fernandez with an infield single to make it 2-0 SCF. One inning later, Davis would hit an RBI double and bring in redshirt sophomore Connor O'Sullivan to make it 3-0 SCF.

After a scoreless third, the Saints would get their first runs on the board at the top of the fourth off of a two-run single by sophomore and former SCF Manatee Rex Smith. One inning later, they would take their first lead of the game as sophomore Robert Nedry would send a two-run homer to right for his fourth home run of the season.

The Manatees would respond in the bottom half of the inning as Gustavson would hit a triple to right and bring in Trivellla to tie the game at 4-4. One inning later, Brauner would show his power as the transfer from the University of Tennessee would hit a leadoff solo homer to right for his fourth of the season.

"Honestly, I hit the ball and just thought about 'Okay, now we have got the lead, let's go win a ballgame'," said Brauner. That run meant just as much as the other ones the guys helped the team score today. They're all huge runs when you look at it, but it definitely felt good to be back helping the team."

"Holden had some good at-bats for us in the second game," said Hill II on Brauner. "He is a very good player and gives us some pop from the left side."

After Gil Fernandez (walk), Ryan (hit by a pitch) and Boykin (hit by a pitch) loaded the bases, Trivella would hit a sacrifice fly and bring in Gil Fernandez to make it 6-4 SCF before they sealed the victory and the series.

Hernandez would improve to 7-4 after giving up four runs on 11 hits with two walks and two strikeouts in seven innings. Redshirt freshman Cole Dement would earn his third save after throwing two scoreless innings of relief with one hit and one walk.

"I thought I did well," said Hernandez. "It was not my cleanest outing, but I knew if I stayed in there and kept competing with things were going to bounce my way. I am very happy that I was able to keep my team in a position to win and finally get back in the 'W' column."

Johns would earn a no-decision after giving up three runs on eight hits with one walk and four strikeouts in three and two-thirds innings. Freshman Dylan Lovelace would fall to 3-3 after giving up three runs on two hits with two walks and one strikeout in one and two-thirds innings of relief.

Five Manatees had a multi-hit game as Brauner (2-for-5, one home run and two runs), Gil Fernandez (2-for-3 two runs and one walk), Trivella (2-for-3, one run, one RBI and one walk), Gustavson (2-for-4, one RBI) and O'Sullivan (2-for-3, one run, one walk and one stolen base) each had two hits. Gustavson lead the series going 4-for-7 with four RBI.

"My swing was in a good place today," said Gustavson. "When it wasn't, I had good hitters behind me pick me up. The RBI speak to our team's ability to get on base and produce runs.

Davis (1-for-5, one RBI), Ryan (1-for-4, one RBI) and Boykin (1-for-3) had the remaining hits for game two.

For the Saints, Nedry lead the way offensively as he finished 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

#7 Florida Southwestern (34-10, 19-8 Citrus) split with #18 Central Florida (31-13, 16-11 Citrus) in their doubleheader winning game one 10-0 (5) before losing game two 14-3 (5).

#8 Indian River State (30-11, 20-7 Citrus) split their doubleheader with Miami Dade (25-19, 14-13 Citrus) winning game one 8-5 (10) before losing game two 8-7.

Polk State (25-23, 13-14 Citrus) split with St. Pete (9-33, 6-21 Citrus) winning game one 5-4 before losing game two 9-6.

Seminole State College of Florida (25-20, 13-14 Citrus) swept Hillsborough (17-26, 9-18 Citrus) 4-0 and 9-6

Eastern Florida State (26-18, 14-13 Citrus) swept Daytona State (12-26, 10-17 Citrus) 4-0 and 9-1 in their doubleheader

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #8 Indian River State (30-11, 20-7)

2. #7 Florida Southwestern (34-10, 19-8)

3. RV SCF (30-16, 17-10)

4. #18 Central Florida (31-13, 16-11)

5. Eastern Florida State (26-18, 14-13)

6. Miami Dade (25-19, 14-13) 

7. Seminole State College of Florida (25-20, 13-14)

8. Polk State (25-23, 13-14)

9. Santa Fe (20-24, 11-16)

10. Daytona State (12-26, 10-17)

11. Hillsborough (17-26, 9-18)

12. St. Pete (9-33, 6-21)

Up Next:

The Manatees will play Hillsborough for another non-conference matchup against a conference opponent Tuesday afternoon, April 15 at 3 pm before turning their focus on Eastern Florida State in conference play.

SCF Softball Sweeps South Florida State

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF softball team (6-16, 6-16 Sun Lakes) were able to snap out of their nine-game losing streak as they swept South Florida State (10-34, 3-19 Sun Lakes) 19-11 and 14-4 both my the mercy rule.

"I thought we did a fantastic job," said head coach Brett Sauerwein. "It was the best we hit the ball all season and I’m proud of each one of them. The focus for Pasco Hernando is to keep hitting the ball, that’ll be the key to our success and clean up the defense a little bit."

"I thought our team played good," said freshman Bri Thies. "We were all playing to our best ability. Everyone was relaxed and played how we were supposed to."

"I thought we did great today," said freshman Kierstyn Aumua. "The bats were on fire and our defense was working hard to support our pitchers who did awesome on the mound. We had each other's backs and picked each other up when we needed to, which is why we won."

Game One:

Sauerwein sent freshman A'Lana Martinez (3-7, 11.25 ERA) to start game one, while South Florida State head coach Carlos Falla went with freshman Joey Gray (1-4, 2.97 ERA) to counter.

The Panthers would open on the board first at the top of the first after freshman Deanna Ross scored on an error. The Manatees however would respond in the bottom half of the inning beginning. After A. Martinez and freshman Kaitlyn Shea hit back to-back singles and each stole second, Aumua would send a single to center and bring in A. Martinez and Shea for a 2-1 lead. Thies and freshman Brooke-Lynn Hilderbrand would then hit back-to-back singles to load the bases before freshman Joni Taylor and sophomore Kamryn Martinez brought in Aumua and Thies with back-to-back sacrifice flies and freshman Josie Alderson brought in Hilderbrand with an RBI single to make it 5-1 SCF.

At the top of the second, the Panthers would add another run as sophomore Kylah Davis would hit an RBI single, but the Manatees would once again respond in the bottom half of the inning. After A. Martinez reached first on a fielding error, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, Shea would bring her in with an RBI infield single before stealing second herself. One batter later, Thies would bring in Shea with a double to center to make it 7-2 SCF.

The Panthers would cut the Manatees' lead to 7-6 at the top of the third after RBI singles by Gray, Davis and Ross, but the Manatees would counter in the bottom half of the inning and increase the lead to 9-6 after A. Martinez brought in Alderson with an RBI double before scoring off of a Shea RBI single. 

The Panthers would bring in another run off of an RBI single by Gray at the top of the fourth, but the Manatees would answer back in the bottom half of the inning as Aumua would send a solo home run to left for her second of the season. After back-to-back singles by Hilderbrand and Taylor, K. Martinez would bring in Hilderbrand with a single to center before Filla sent sophomore Alexandra Messina to the mound for Gray. After Alderson loaded the bases with a single before freshman Juliana Hess grounded into a fielder's choice with two outs, A. Martinez would showoff her wheels as she cleared the bases with a triple to right-center to bring in K. Martinez, Alderson and Hess to make it 14-7 SCF.

The Panthers would add their final runs of the game at the top of the fifth and try to cut the lead to 14-11 after a run scored on a fielding error and two RBI singles by freshmen Alexa Marin and Aziya Patterson.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Manatees would rally to put the finishing touches on the game beginning with a leadoff single by Aumua before Thies brought her in with a double. After a Hilderbrand single and K. Martinez getting hit by a pitch to load the bases, Alderson would send a single to left to bring in Thies before Hess brought in Hilderbrand with a sacrifice fly. After A. Martinez drew a walk to reload the bases, Shea would be the hero and send a single to center to bring in K. Martinez and Alderson to seal the victory.

A. Martinez would improve to 4-7 after throwing a five inning complete game, giving up 11 runs (three earned) on 12 hits with four walks and one strikeout. She was also 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBI, three runs, one walk and two stolen bases.

Gray would fall to 1-5 after giving up 13 runs (12 earned) on 15 hits with two strikeouts in three and a third innings, while going 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs. Messina would give up six runs on seven hits with one walk one and a third innings of relief.

Apart from A. Martinez, five Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Shea (4-for-5) and Alderson (4-for-4) that lead the way in hitting as they each had four hits. Shea added four RBI, two runs and two stolen bases, while Alderson added three runs and two RBI.

Aumua (3-for-4), Thies (3-for-4) and Hilderbrand (3-for-4) would round out the order with three hits each. Aumua would add three RBI and three runs, while Thies added two RBI and two runs and Hilderbrand added three runs.

Taylor (1-for-3, one RBI) and K. Martinez (1-for-2, two RBI and two runs) had the remaining hits and Hess (one run and one RBI) also contributed in the game.

Game Two:

Looking to secure the doubleheader sweep, Sauerwein sent Hilderbrand (1-9, 10.40 ERA) to start the second game, while Falla went with freshman Nicole Rivera (2-6, 4.39 ERA).

The Panthers would get on the board at the top of the first after an RBI single by freshman Elena Quinones, but the Manatees would respond in the bottom half. After A. Martinez (single), Shea (walk) and Aumua (single) loaded the bases, Thies would single to right to bring in A. Martinez and Shea. Two batters later, K. Martinez would ground into a fielder's choice to bring in Aumua to make it 3-1 SCF.

At the top of the second, the Panthers would tie the game at 3-3 after and RBI single by freshman Samara Singh and a sacrifice fly by Grey. The Manatees would then regain the lead in the bottom half of the inning after an RBI single by Thies brought in Shea.

The Panthers would add their final run at the top of the third to tie the game at 4-4 after an RBI double by Marin, but the Manatees would once again regain the lead with a big inning beginning with K. Martinez getting hit by a pitch. One batter later, Hess would draw a walk before A. Martinez hit an RBI single to bring in K. Martinez. After Shea (walk) and Aumua (reached on an error) loaded the bases, Thies would show her power and send a grand slam to center for her first collegiate home run and first collegiate grand slam to make it 10-4 SCF.

"I felt calm," said Thies on her first collegiate home run. "I knew I needed to get a hit, so I relaxed and did the best I could. It felt amazing in the end. The contact and everything just felt good.

The Manatees would then put their final runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth. After K. Martinez hit a single and Alderson reached on a fielder's choice, Hess would send a single to right and bring in K. Martinez. After A. Martinez drew a walk to load the bases before Shea reloaded the bases on a fielder's choice, Aumua would send a double to center and clear the bases to make it 14-4 SCF before sealing the victory.

Hilderbrand would improve to 2-9 after throwing a five-inning complete game, giving up four runs on nine hits with two walks.

Rivera would fall to 2-7 after giving up 13 runs (eight earned) on eight hits with three walks and one strikeout in three and a third innings. Sophomore Megan Bint would give up one run on one hits with one walk in two-thirds of an inning of relief.

Three Manatees had a multi-hit game for game two. It was Thies that would be the overall leader in the game as she went 3-for-4 with a grand slam, one stolen base and seven RBI while finishing 6-for-8 with home run and nine RBI. Aumua would follow going 2-for-4 with three RBI and three runs and would finish the doubleheader 5-for-8 with a home run and six RBI.

"As we're nearing the end of the season, I definitely fell more comfortable at the plate now than I did in the beginning," said Aumua. "For me, the biggest thing is just trusting all the extra reps I take on my own before and after practice will pay off and it did today, so I'm glad I hit well."

"Bri and Kierstyn are at the heart of the lineup for a reason," said Sauerwein on Thies and Aumua. "They have been producing well in those spots. They both have a ton of power and I'm glad they picked pitches to hit that they could drive."

A. Martinez would out the order going 2-for-3 with two RBI, three runs and one walk. K. Martinez (1-for-2, one RBI and two runs) and Hess (1-for-2, one RBI, two runs, one walk and three stolen bases) had the remaining hits, while Shea (four runs and two walks) also contributed in the game.

Up Next:

The Manatees return to action as they welcome Pasco Hernando State (26-20, 11-9 Sun Lakes) to the SCF SB Complex Tuesday afternoon, April 15 at 4 and 6 pm.

SCF Baseball Slays Tampa JV

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (28-15, 15-9 Citrus) finalized their final game against the University of Tampa JV (12-11) as they won by a final score of 15-4.

"A good win tonight," said head coach Tim Hill II. "Anytime you only give up one hit, the pitchers did something good but we had a few too many walks. Allan (Gil Fernandez) and Luke (Boykin) provided some pop tonight with a couple of home runs. We count on those guys to hit in the middle of our lineup and they are both good hitters. A big three game series coming up with Santa Fe and I'm looking for our guys to finish strong over these next three weekends."

Hill II sent sophomore Gavyn Bowen (1-0, 8.69 ERA) to the mound, while Tampa JV head coach Mark Johnson went with freshman Jack Calcagno to counter.

The Manatees would rally on the board first in the bottom of the first beginning with leadoff walk by sophomore CJ Richard. After Richard stole second, freshman Myles Davis would send a double to right to bring in Richard. Following a one-out walk drawn by sophomore Allan Gil Fernandez, classmate Luke Boykin would continue his power swing as he sent a three-run homer to left for his 12th of the season before the Spartans made a pitching change. After sophomore Mario Trivella drew a walk and freshman Ryan Kaitz hit a single, freshman Dominic Donatucci would hit a two-out infield single to bring in Trivella before Kaitz scored on a wild pitch. The Manatees would bat around as Richard would send a double to right to bring in Donatucci to make it 7-0 SCF.

In the bottom of the second, the Manatees would extend their lead. After Gil Fernandez and Boykin hit back-to-back singles, Gil Fernandez would score on a balk before Trivella drew a walk. Kaitz would then single to right to bring in Boykin before Trivella was called out at third. Freshman Will Rawls would then draw an intentional walk before Kaitz scored on a botched fielder's choice to make it 10-0 SCF.

The Manatees continued to add to their offense in the bottom of the third. After Davis drew a walk and freshman Ben Ryan reached base on a fielding error, Gil Fernandez would tower a three-run homer to center for his seventh of the season and giving the Manatees a 13-0 lead.

The Spartans would then get on the board at the top of the fifth as sophomore Brian O'Connell III would hit a grand slam for his third of the season. The Manatees would respond in the bottom half of the inning with their final runs of the game. After back-to-back singles by freshmen Bernard Barnes and Clayton Evans, Kaitz would send a single to right to bring in Barnes before Evans scored on a passed ball to make it 15-4 SCF before the Manatees sealed the victory.

Five pitchers combined for a one-hitter. Bowen would earn a no-decision after throwing three scoreless innings with four walks and six strikeouts in three innings. Freshman James Kleiven would get the win and improve to 2-0 after throwing one scoreless inning of relief. Freshmen Duke McCarron (one inning of relief with three walks and two strikeouts) and Holden Brauner (one inning of relief with one walk and one strikeout) and sophomore Landon O'Donnell (one inning of relief with three strikeouts).

Calcagno would get the loss after giving up four runs on two hits with two walks in one-third of an inning.

Four Manatees had a multi-hit game. It was Kaitz that lead the way in hitting as he went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Gil Fernandez (2-for-2) and Boykin (2-for-3) lead the way in offense with a home run and three RBI each. Gil Fernandez added a walk, three runs and a stolen base and Boykin added two runs. Richard would round out the order going 2-for-4 with a run, one RBI, one walk and one stolen base.

Davis (1-for-3, two runs, one RBI and two walks), Donatucci (1-for-3, one run, one RBI and one walk), Barnes (1-for-1, one run) and Evans (1-for-2, one run) had the remaining hits for the Manatees.

O'Connell would lead have the only hit for the Spartans as he went 1-for-2 with a grand slam.

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Miami Dade (24-12, 13-11 Citrus) defeated Millenia Atlantic University 12-8.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #8 Indian River State (28-10, 18-6)

2. #7 Florida Southwestern (31-9, 17-7)

3. #18 Central Florida (30-11, 15-9)

4. RV SCF (28-15. 15-9)

5. Miami Dade (24-12, 13-11)

6. Eastern Florida State (23-17, 12-12)

7. Polk State (23-21, 12-12)

8. Seminole State College of Florida (23-18, 11-13)

9. Santa Fe (19-22, 10-14)

10. Daytona State (11-24, 9-15)

11. Hillsborough (16-23, 8-16)

12. St. Pete (6-32, 4-20)

Up Next:

The Manatees will return their focus to Citrus Conference play as they face Santa Fe College (19-22, 10-14 Citrus) for their next series.

SCF Baseball Set for Santa Fe

Bradenton, Fla - The RV SCF baseball team (28-15, 15-9 Citrus) will look to remain as one of the top teams in Citrus Conference play for their next series in Citrus Conference as they face Santa Fe College (19-22, 10-14 Citrus) in their three-game series of Citrus Conference play. Game one will take place at the Santa Fe Baseball Field in Gainesville Thursday afternoon, April 10 at 3 pm before returning to Wynn Field for a doubleheader Saturday afternoon, April 12 at 1 and 4 pm.

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. #8 Indian River State (28-10, 18-6)

2. #7 Florida Southwestern (32-9, 17-7)

3. #18 Central Florida (30-11, 15-9)

4. RV SCF (28-15, 15-9)

5. Miami Dade (24-17, 13-11)

6. Eastern Florida State (24-17, 12-12)

7. Polk State (24-21, 12-12)

8. Seminole State College of Florida (23-19, 11-13)

9. Santa Fe (19-22, 10-14)

10. Daytona State (11-24, 9-15)

11. Hillsborough (16-24, 8-16)

12. St. Pete (7-32, 4-20)

Possible Conference Game Starters:

Game One - Aidan Ray (3-0, 3.51 ERA) vs Chase Chappell (1-4, 10.41 ERA)

Game Two - Lochlan Radloff (6-3, 3.43 ERA) vs Lucas Johns (6-0, 3.88 ERA)

Game Three - Oscar Hernandez (6-4, 4.79 ERA) vs Matthew Pagan (4-4, 5.44 ERA)

Last Time Out:

After falling 6-5 to #16 South Florida State (then #18 in NJCAA DII), the Manatees would come off of another series win in Citrus Conference play over #8 Indian River State (then #6 in NJCAA DI). They would win games one and two both by a score of 4-0 before falling 14-6 in the finale. SCF would eventually receive votes in the NJCAA DI Top 25 National Poll after taking the series against #17 Central Florida (then #11 nationally). Following their series win, the Manatees would then win their series finale over the University of Tampa JV by a score of 15-4.

Currently, the Manatees are tied for third place with #18 Central Florida in the conference standings, but are fourth overall.

Lock the Pitching Game:

Freshman Lochlan Radloff has been the main leader on the mound for the Manatees. Radloff is currently 6-3 with 3.43 ERA, 22 walks and 68 strikeouts in 60.1 innings of work. The local product from Lakewood Ranch has also thrown five complete game this season with four of them being shutouts. In fact, his five complete games are ranked #1 in Florida and tied for #1 in the nation. In his last start, Radloff threw a shutout over Indian River State with 11 strikeouts, which resulted in him winning the NJCAA Region 8 Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week and the fourth time this season.

Freshman Aidan Ray has also played a solid role since transitioning from a relief pitcher to a starter. Ray is currently 3-0 with a 3.51 ERA, one save, 23 walks and 53 strikeouts in 48.2 innings of work. In his last start, the Alaskan threw six scoreless innings with five strikeouts over Indian River State.

Big Hurt Homers:

On the power side of the Manatees, sophomores Luke Boykin and Allan Gil Fernandez and freshman Ben Ryan have been leading the way for offense.

Boykin is currently batting .357 with 40 hits, 29 runs, 12 home runs and 33 RBI. In the game against Tampa JV, he went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.

Gil is batting .315 with 40 hits, 40 runs, seven home runs and 35 RBI. In his last game against Tampa JV, he went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI.

Despite going 0-for-5 in his last game, Ryan is still batting .336 with 37 hits, 34 runs, eight home runs and 41 RBI. Against Indian River State, he had two home runs and four RBI in the series.

Scouting Santa Fe:

The Saints are currently ninth in conference play and are coming off of being swept by #7 Florida Southwestern in their last Citrus Conference series losing by scores of 9-0, 11-8 and 11-9.

Redshirt sophomore Lucas Johns leads the way on the mound for the Saints going 6-0 with a 3.88 ERA, 25 walks and 44 strikeouts in 53.1 innings of work.

At the plate, freshman Ryan Chase leads the Saints offensively as he is batting .416 with 64 hits, 36 runs, 10 home runs and 43 RBI.

How to Keep Up:

Livestats will be provided by GameChanger and all games will air livestream. Fans can also keep up with the Manatees on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Livestats Link - https://web.gc.com/teams/n7j7U9bdJC3t/schedule/ebd72c92-ff0a-4f27-b24c-f52eed85083b/info

Livestream Link - 

Game One - https://santafesaints.com/SaintsSportsNetwork

Games Two and Three - https://team1sports.com/scfmanatees/