SCF Baseball Earns 13 Awards

Bradenton, Fla - As the SCF baseball team (33-23) set their focus on the NJCAA Region 8 State Tournament, 13 members of the the team have earned several recognitions to represent the Suncoast Conference. Seven players were named on the Suncoast First Team while five were named to the Suncoast Second Team.

"This was a very nice honor for all of our guys who were well represented on the all-conference teams," said head coach Tim Hill II. "They have played really well and it's been a fun group to be around as well as a very talented group."

Suncoast Conference Coach of the Year:

Hill II was named the Suncoast Coach of the Year for the third time in his career (2013, 2018).

"I'm just very proud to coach these guys on this journey," said Hill.

Suncoast Player of the Year:
This years' Suncoast Player of the Year was awarded to sophomore Kevin Karstetter. He is the first Manatees since CJ Alexander (2018) to win the Player of the Year Award. Karstetter was also named a member of the All-Suncoast First Team, which is his third All-Suncoast Team accolade in his career. 

"Kevin had a tremendous year after setting numerous records," said Hill on Karstetter. "I think the most impressive thing he did was that hitting streak he set, which is not easy to do in Florida. He by far is the best player in the conference."

Karstetter is currently batting .421 with 96 hits, 30 doubles, 65 runs, 11 home runs and 73 RBI. The upcoming Arizona State University transfer went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the final game against IMG Academy. Throughout his three-year career with the Manatees, Karstetter has already set six records in the Manatees' program history so far in at-bats (641 and counting), hits (229 and counting), runs (162 and counting), doubles (58 and counting), RBI (164 and counting) and the longest hitting streak (31 straight games). He is four doubles away from setting the single season doubles record held by Paul Stryhas (1997).

Suncoast Pitcher of the Year:
For Suncoast Pitcher of the Year, the award was given to freshman Michael Forret. Forret was also named on the All-Suncoast First Team. He is the first Manatee since Zach Attianese (2018) to win the Pitcher of the Year award. Forret is 10-2 this season with a 3.38 ERA, 17 walks and 95 strikeouts. He ranks #1 in the state and tied for #8 in the nation in wins.

"Michael had a tremendous year," said Hill on Forret. "Every time he took the mound, we knew we had a great chance to win. He is very competitive, has good stuff and knows how to pitch."

All-Suncoast First Team:
Alongside Karstetter and Forret, sophomores Lucas Ismaili, Brayden Woodburn and Mario Lopez, Jr. and freshmen Ed Wagner and Erick Almonte joined them on the All-Suncoast First Team.

Ismaili, who will be transferring to the University of South Alabama, is batting .402 with 84 hits, 55 runs, eight home runs and 65 RBI. He went 1-for-4 with a run in his last outing.

"Lucas is a very polished hitter," said Hill on Ismaili. "He handles the bat well and uses the whole field while driving in a ton of runs for us. Having him and Kevin (Karstetter) hitting back to back makes it tough for opposing pitchers to get through the lineup."

Woodburn, who will be transferring to the University of Tampa, is batting .340 with 70 hits, 69 runs, seven home runs, 41 RBI, 23 stolen bases and 47 walks (#7 in the nation). In his career, Woodburn has 86 career walks and is 19 away from surpassing Jody Reed (59, 1982) for the single season record and 24 away from breaking Joey Collis (109, 1994-95) for the career walks record.

"Brayden brought a lot of experience to our lineup," said Hill on Woodburn. "I know he was disappointed sitting out last year due to injury, but I'm sure glad he was back with us. Like Lucas, he is a player who uses the whole field and draws a lot of walks while playing a variety of positions for us very well, which is really good to have. He has some pop in his bat and is able to turn a game around at any time."

Lopez is batting .327 with 54 hits, 43 runs, six home runs and 51 RBI. He went 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBI in the win over IMG.

"Mario was a great addition to our team this year," said Hill on Lopez. "He's very tough behind the plate and does not give many at-bats away when he's hitting. He drove in a lot of runs for us and had some very big hits throughout the season."

Wagner is 8-1 with a 3.65 ERA, 30 walks and 66 strikeouts. He earned the win in the game against IMG Academy after throwing one scoreless inning.

"Ed was a big addition for us," said Hill on Wagner. "I knew he had a chance to be pretty good when he decided to come our way. It was just a matter of him getting healthy from an injury from last year. He threw some really good games for us this year and we're really counting on him in the postseason."

Almonte is batting .318 with 61 hits, 59 runs, two home runs, 40 RBI and 42 walks (tied for #23 in the nation). He went 1-for-5 in his last game.

"Erick did an awesome job for us," said Hill on Almonte. "He is a very talented player on both sides of the ball while getting some very big hits for us and being a good defender. Like Woodburn, he has drawn many walks to help and is a tough out for the other teams."

All-Suncoast Second Team:
For the All-Suncoast Second Team,  there were four that made it for SCF: sophomores Richie Morales, Ben Gilbert, Connor Hults and Victor Sanchez and freshman Liam Best.

Morales, who will be transferring to the University of Arizona, is batting .310 with 40 hits, 33 runs, one home run and 21 RBI at the plate. On the mound, he is 2-0 with a 3.12 ERA, two saves, four walks and nine strikeouts.

"Richie has been one of the keys to our team" said Hill on Morales. "He brings some toughness to our lineup and plays outstanding at shortstop, which is not an easy position to play on the field. He only committed two errors and made some outstanding plays. He is one of the big keys to our offense leading off and setting the table for the guys behind him to drive him in."

Gilbert, who will be transferring to Florida Atlantic University, is batting .275 with 36 hits, 30 runs, three home runs and 27 RBI at the plate while on the mound, he is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA, three saves, 13 walks and 32 strikeouts.

"Ben really helped to solidify our team when he started playing centerfield every day," said Hill on Gilbert. "He is an excellent defender and had some really key hits for us throughout this season. A very experienced and talented player who's willing to do anything to help our team. While we haven't been able to use him much as a closer due to some big conference wins that didn't require him to come in for, he is very tough one the mound and has a ton of strikeouts to show that he is very tough to hit off of."

Hults, who will transfer to Florida State University, is 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA, 18 walks and 39 strikeouts. In one of his best outings on the mound, he threw 10 strikeouts in the 7-6 win over St. Pete.

"Connor had a really good year coming out of the bullpen for us," said Hill on Hults. "He pitched some very key innings and got some big win for us. His fastball is very good and he has one of the best curveballs around. He's another guy with a lot of strikeouts and is very competitive on the mound. Like Ben (Gilbert), he is very tough to hit off of."

Sanchez is batting .301 with 40 hits, 24 runs, three home runs and 27 RBI.

"Victor had some good moments at the plate for us and has done a good job catching when we give Mario (Lopez) some rest," said Hill on Sanchez. "He's a very personable guy who brings some energy to the field."

Best is 3-0 on the mound with a 3.56 ERA, 26 walks and 49 strikeouts. In his last outing on the mound, he threw six innings with 10 strikeouts in the 14-1 win over Polk State.

"Liam has been a really big arm for us," said Hill on Best. "He has an excellent breaking ball as evidenced by all the strikeouts he has. He's another great player who I knew had a chance to be very good once he decided to come our way after recovering from an injury. Now, he is finally healthy and has been pitching really well down the stretch for us."

The Manatees will look to focus on #9 Santa Fe College (39-8) in the Bradenton Regional of the state tournament.

SCF Baseball Claps Polk State in Final Home Conference Game

Bradenton, Fla - The RV SCF baseball team (32-23, 18-6 Suncoast) closed out the home portion of the 2023 season as they defeated Polk State (32-20, 13-9 Suncoast) 14-1 in seven innings via the 10-run mercy rule.

"The guys played really well," said head coach Tim Hill II. "They dominated from the beginning to the end. I thought Liam (Best) got into a little bit of trouble in the first inning, but then he minimized it to one run and that was the story of the game and they had no chance of scoring on him."

"I thought we played great," said freshman Liam Best. "Our hitters did a good job and we won with a good run support."

"I thought it was a great game overall," said freshman Erick Almonte. "Great pitching and great hitting helped us get the win."

"I thought we played a really good defensive game," said sophomore Victor Sanchez. "The hitters did a good job, so I think that if we do that every time, no one will beat us."

Hill sent Best to the mound, while Polk State head coach Al Corbeil went with sophomore Jayden Bishop.

The Eagles would strike first at the top of the first as they scored after the Manatees turned a double play, but Best would get out of the situation to close the top of the first. In the bottom half of the inning, the Manatees would gain the lead as Sanchez would send a triple to right center to bring in sophomores Kevin Karstetter and Brayden Woodburn to make it 2-1 SCF.

After a scoreless second, the Manatees would extend their lead further beginning with a leadoff single by Woodburn. After a failed pickoff attempt that sent Woodburn to third, Sanchez would send an infield single to short to bring in Woodburn. After sophomores Liam Moreno (single) and Austin Dearing (walk) loaded the bases, freshman Evan Mastromauro would line a single to right and bring in Sanchez and Moreno to make it 5-1 SCF.

While Best continued to put strikeouts on the board, the Manatees continued to added runs in the bottom of the sixth. After sophomore Lucas Ismaili hit a single and advanced to second on the throw, Woodburn would send a ground rule double to right and bring in Ismaili. After Moreno and sophomore Ben Gilbert drew back-to-back walks to load the bases, Dearing would send a single to center and bring in Woodburn and Gilbert. After a flyout for the second out, Alomonte would showcase some power and send a three-run homer to right for his second of the season to make it 11-1 SCF and invoke the mercy rule.

"I was having a rough time the first two at-bats," said Almonte. "After that, I stayed locked in and got a pitch I can do damage with and hit a home run."

After the fifth inning went scoreless, the Manatees would add their final runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth. After Moreno (walk), Dearing (walk) and Mastromauro (hit by a pitch) loaded the bases, Almonte would bring in Moreno in on a groundout and moved Dearing and Mastromauro to scoring position before they both scored on two wild pitches to make it 14-1 SCF. From there, freshman Brandon Clarke would finish the seventh and seal the deal for the Manatees.

Best would improve to 3-0 after giving up one run on two hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. It was his third game with 10 strikeouts this season. Clarke threw one scoreless inning of relief with one walk and one strikeout.

"I felt really good," said Best on his performance. "I have been building up the last three outings and felt comfortable, even after the shaky first inning, but afterwards I felt in total control."

Bishop would fall to 1-1 after giving up five runs (three earned) on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts in two and a third.

Four Manatees lead the way in hitting with two hits apiece: Sanchez (2-for-4), Ismaili (2-for-5), Woodburn (2-for-4) and Mastromauro (2-for-3). Sanchez added three RBI, one run and one walk, while Ismaili added one run, Woodburn added one RBI, three runs, one walk and one stolen base and Mastromauro added two RBI and one run.

"I felt good," said Sanchez on his performance. "I didn't prepare for the first pitch in the first at-bat because the pitcher threw me five curveballs in a row, but after the last curveball I was ready for it. I was so tired after the 

Almonte would lead the Manatees in offense as he finished 1-for-4 with four RBI, one run and one walk.

Dearing (1-for-1, two RBI, two runs and three walks) and Moreno (1-for-2, three runs and two walks) had the remaining two hits, while Karstetter (one run, one walk and one stolen base) and Gilbert (one run and one walk) also contributed in the game.

Sophomore J'Quann Smith and freshmen Aris Rivera and Roberto Odor had the lone hits for the Eagles.

Notes:

With their one walk apiece, Woodburn and Almonte now have 46 and 41 walks respectively this season with Woodburn now having 86 walks in his career. They are both 14 and 19 walks away from surpassing Jody Reed (59, 1982) for the single season record with Woodburn 24 away from breaking Joey Collis' career walks record (109, 1994-95).

Other Suncoast Conference Scores:

Hillsborough (13-38, 7-17 Suncoast) defeated St. Pete College (18-29, 9-15 Suncoast) 6-5 to close both their seasons.

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. RV SCF (32-23, 18-6) #^

2. Polk State (32-20, 13-9) #

3. St. Pete (18-29, 9-15) *

4. Hillsborough (13-38, 7-17) *

^: Suncoast Conference Champions

#: Clinched playoff spot

*: Eliminated from playoff contention

Up Next:

While they closed their home portion of the season, the regular season is not yet complete for the Manatees. They will wrap up the season with a game against the IMG Academy postgraduate team.

SCF Baseball Takes Suncoast Conference Championship

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (31-22, 17-5 Suncoast) kept their focus on one of the key goals to their season as they defeated Polk State (31-20, 13-9 Suncoast) 21-4 in seven innings via the 10-run mercy rule.

"The guys were ready to go," said head coach Tim Hill II. "I thought from the very first pitch to the last, they were really focused and the result is the way they played today and how capable they were as a talented team. I thought they busted their butts all year and it was nice to see them have a lot of success here today."

"I thought we did great," said sophomore Kevin Karstetter. "The guys came out ready to play and especially for conference, we really turned it up the past month or so and that's what really matters. There is a bunch of talent here that work hard to earn this win."

"The boys came out firing and could not stop the bats today," said freshman Ed Wagner. "It was unbelievable."

"Everything was going great for us," said sophomore Brayden Woodburn. "We had good timely hitting. Ed (Wagner) did a great job on the mound and Preston (Wetherell) help closed the door for us and it was really nice."

Hill sent Wagner to start game two, while Polk State head coach Al Corbeil went with sophomore Aiden Butler.

After Wagner took care of the top of the first, the Manatees would open in the bottom half of the inning. After a one-out double by Karstetter, sophomore Lucas Ismaili would send a single to center to bring in Karstetter for the first run of the game. After classmate Mario Lopez, Jr. hit into a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a throwing error, Woodburn would send a triple to right center and bring in Lopez to make it 2-0 SCF.

At the top of the second, the Eagles would tie the game at 2-2 as freshman Roberto Odor would hit a two-run double before Wagner was able to get out of it, however it would barely faze the Manatees as they rallied in the bottom half of the inning. After sophomore Austin Dearing reached first on a fielding error before advancing to second on a wild pitch, sophomore Liam Moreno would send a double to center and bring in Dearing before advancing to third after another error. Freshman LT Cockrill would then bring in Moreno on a ground out to make it 4-2 SCF. After freshman Erick Almonte hit a single and stole second, Karstetter would show his power side and send a towering two-run home run to left for his 11th of the season for a 6-2 SCF lead.

After a scoreless third, the Eagles would the Manatees lead in half as freshman Damion Kenealy would send a solo home run to center for his fifth of the season. Once again it would barely faze the Manatees heading into the bottom half of the inning beginning with a leadoff single by Moreno. After Almonte grounded into a fielder's choice safely and moved Moreno to third while Almonte reached second on an error, Karstetter would send a single to center to bring in Moreno and Almonte. Ismaili would then hit a single to right and get caught in a pickle while Karstetter scored to make it 9-3 SCF.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Manatees would go on a non-stop scoring run beginning with a leadoff double by Woodburn before sophomore Ben Gilbert brought him in with a single for a 10-3 lead. After Dearing grounded into a fielder's choice, Moreno would get hit by a pitch before they committed a double steal to get into scoring position. Corbeil would pull Butler and send freshman Everrett Martin to the mound to relief Butler before Cockrill would then draw a walk to load the bases. 

After Almonte struck out, Karstetter would hit a check swing for an infield single to bring in Dearing. Ismaili would then smack a double to left to bring in Moreno and Cockrill before Lopez drew a walk to reload the bases before Corbeil sent sophomore Breton Cusic to replace Martin. 

With the bases full of Manatees as they batted around, Woodburn would show his portion of power as he lined a fly ball to right over the scoreboard for his first collegiate grand slam and seventh home run of the season.

"It just felt like another home run," said Woodburn on his grand slam. "I just trying to live in the moment and not let it get too big, so it felt good hitting it and helping the team win."

After back-to-back single by Gilbert and Dearing, Moreno would line a double to left to bring in Gilbert before Cockrill sent a two-run single to right to bring in Dearing and Moreno for a 20-3 SCF lead.

At the top of the sixth, Knealy would then hit a solo homer to left for his sixth of the season and his second of the game to make it 20-4 still in SCF's favor, but Wagner would get out of the jam and end the top half. The Manatees would add their final run as Woodburn scored on a wild pitch to make it 21-4 before freshman Evan Mastromauro turned a final double play to seal the deal for the win.

Wagner would improve to 7-1 after giving up four runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in six innings. Freshman Preston Wetherell would throw one scoreless inning of relief and gave up one hit.

"I felt good out there," said Wagner. "Once we scored 20 runs, it gets a little easier to pitch. You can't let up a 20-run homer, so it was pretty sweet because we dominated all-around. It was awesome."

Butler would fall to 3-4 after giving up 12 runs (11 earned) on 11 hits with one strikeout in four and a third innings.

Karstetter (4-for-4) and Woodburn (3-for-5) would lead the offense overall for the Manatees as they each had five RBI. Karstetter added four runs and a walk, while Woodburn added three runs and a walk. In fact, both players were a hit shy of a cycle (Karstetter needed a triple and Woodburn needed a single).

"I had a lot of fun and that's what it was all about for me," said Karstetter. "It makes it a lot easier for me."

Ismaili and Moreno each had three hits. Ismaili (3-for-5) added four RBI and one run, while Moreno (3-for-3) added two RBI, four runs, one walk and one stolen base.

Gilbert and Dearing were both 2-for-5 at the plate. Gilbert added one RBI and one run, while Dearing added three runs and a stolen base.

Almonte (1-for-4, two runs and a stolen base) and Cockrill (1-for-4, three RBI, one run and one walk) had the remaining two hits, while Lopez (two runs and one walk) also contributed.

For the Eagles, Kneadly lead the way in hitting and offense as he finished 2-for-3 with two home runs.

Notes:

With the win, the Manatees were named the Suncoast Conference Champions for the first time since 2018.

"It's something that we're used to doing," said Hill. "It's been a little gap since the COVID year where we had a really good team that year we had a chance to take it. It's good to finally put another championship on the wall."

"It feels great," said Wagner on winning the Suncoast. "We knew we had the best squad to do it and performed when it matters. All-around, it was easy money."

With his one walk, Woodburn now has 44 walks this season and 84 in his career. He is 16 away from surpassing Jody Reed (59, 1982) for the single season record and 26 from breaking Joey Collis' career walks record (109, 1994-95).

With his four hits and five RBI, Karstetter now has 225 career hits and 162 career RBI. Additionally, his one double puts him at 29 this season and 57 in his career. He is five away from breaking Paul Stryas' single season doubles record (33, 1997).

Other Suncoast Scores:

St. Pete (18-27, 9-13 Suncoast) defeated Hillsborough (11-38, 5-17 Suncoast) 15-9.

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. SCF (31-22, 17-5) #^

2. Polk State (31-20, 13-9) #

3. St. Pete (18-27, 9-13) *

4. Hillsborough (11-38, 5-17) *

^Suncoast Conference Champions

# Clinched playoff spot

*eliminated from playoff contention

Up Next:

The Manatees return to Winter Haven for game three against Polk State to continue conference play. Sophomore Ryan Stefiuk (2-3, 5.40 ERA) will be given the nod to start the game.

Eighth Inning Rally Helps SCF Baseball Beat Polk State

Winter Haven, Fla - The SCF baseball team (30-22, 16-5 Suncoast) pulled off a big rally as they defeated Polk State (31-19, 13-8) 8-2 at Bing Tyus Yard. The Manatees are 4-1 so far against the Eagles and will look to take the second series tomorrow afternoon, April 22 at 1 pm at Wynn Field. Freshman Ed Wagner (6-1, 3.75 ERA) will be given the nod to start.

"This was a really big win for us tonight on the road," said head coach Tim Hill II. "It was a very tight game. Polk's pitcher threw really well against us until we scored some runs late. Looking forward to Ed giving us a really good start tomorrow."

"We came in today knowing we had a job to do," said sophomore Mario Lopez Jr. "This game was big for us. It was a team effort and took everyone to get it done tonight

Hill sent freshman Michael Forret to the mound, while Polk State head coach Al Corbeil went with freshman Evan Koehler.

For the first four innings of the game, it was a pitcher's duel between Forret and Koehler as they exchanged strikeouts with Forret leading the way. It remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth as freshman Damion Nealy would hit an RBI double, which would be followed by an RBI single off the bat of classmate Roberto Odor for a 2-0 Polk State. Forret would brush it off and looked to the Manatees offense to step up.

At the top of the sixth, the Manatees did so at the plate as Lopez would hit a single and bring in freshman Erick Almonte to cut the Eagles lead to 2-1.

While Forret put himself in double digit strikeouts, the Manatees would not back down and rallied their way at the top of the eighth. At the time, Corbeil would send his closer, freshman Ryan Combs, to the mound for a two-inning save opportunity. After a leadoff walk by Almonte and sacrifice bunt by  sophomore Kevin Karstetter to move Almonte to second, classmate Lucas Ismaili would bring in Almonte with a single and tie the game at 2-2. Eventually, the Manatees took their first lead of the game as Lopez towered a two-run homer to left for his fifth of the season and make it 4-2 SCF.

"I knew the game was tied going into my next at-bat," said Lopez. "I just had to get into a hitter's count and look for my pitch and stick to my approach. Once I got the pitch, I could not miss it, so I was trying to hit it hard somewhere and put my team into position to score."

At the top of the ninth, the Manatees added some extra insurance to maintain their lead beginning with a leadoff double by sophomore Austin Dearing. After classmates Liam Moreno and Richie Morales were hit by a pitch to load the bases, Almonte would send a single to right-center and bring in Dearing and Moreno while advancing to second on the throw. Karstetter would bring in Morales with a sacrifice fly. As Ismaili drew a walk, Almonte seized the opportunity to score off of a wild pitch to make it 8-2 SCF.

From there, sophomore Connor Hults, despite walking two, would shut the door in the bottom of the ninth and seal the deal for the Manatees.

Forret would improved to 10-2 on the season. He would give up two runs on five hits with two walks and a career-high 15 strikeouts in eight innings. Hults would throw one scoreless inning of relief with two walks and two strikeouts.

"Michael was the story of the game," said Hill on Forret. "He was outstanding."

Koehler would earn a no-decision after giving up one run on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in seven innings. Combs would fall to 6-3 with a blown save after giving up seven runs on four hits with two walks in two innings of relief. It was his fourth blown save of the season.

Lopez would be the overall leader in offense as he went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and a walk. Almonte would follow as he went 2-for-3 with two RBI, three runs, one walk and one stolen base.

Karstetter and Ismaili brought in the remaining RBI for the Manatees. Karstetter (1-for-3) added a stolen base, while Ismaili (1-for-4) added one run and one walk.

Dearing (1-for-4, one run) and sophomore Brayden Woodburn (1-for-5) had the remaining two hits, while Moreno (one run and one walk) also contributed in the game.

For the Eagles, sophomore Travis Stapleton lead the way in hitting as he finished 2-for-3 with a walk.

Other Suncoast Scores:

St. Pete (17-27, 8-13 Suncoast) defeated Hillsborough (11-37, 5-16 Suncoast) 8-3.

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. SCF (30-22, 16-5)#

2. Polk State (31-19, 13-8)#

3. St. Pete (17-27, 8-13)

4. Hillsborough (11-37, 5-16)

#Clinched Playoff Spot

SCF Softball Split With Polk State on Sophomore Night

Bradenton, Fla - Despite not making it to the FCSAA State Tournament, the SCF softball team (19-27, 4-10 Suncoast) closed up their their final two home games of the season as they split with Polk State (16-25, 3-11 Suncoast) losing game one 10-2 in six innings via mercy rule before winning game two 4-2.

"I just really loved our freshmen in the second game," said head coach Mandy Schuerman. "I think the positive from this series was them helping the sophomores out so they can grow from it and step up for next season. It was a refreshing turnaround for us."

"I just think we all started to get in our heads after the loss in game one and the first three losses in conference and our confidence was starting to drop," said sophomore Molly Starinsky. "That was a hard thing to come back from losing that. Overall, it was a confidence thing winning the second game and there was a glimpse of good things where we had some good hits overall as well as good energy and friendships, so I just need to carry the positive to next year."

"I'm glad we took two wins from them earlier in the season and that was good," said freshman Karsyn Rutherford. "Obviously, the first game wasn't the result we wanted, but I'm glad we bounced back in the second game with another win."

Game One:

Schuerman sent sophomore Sam Carlin to the mound to start game one while Polk State head coach Mark Skapin went with freshman Baileigh Herrera.

The Manatees would open on the scoreboard first as sophomore Gabi Nicholson would send a double to center to bring in classmate Presley O'Kimosh. They would hold a 1-0 lead until the fourth inning off of an RBI single and two RBI doubles gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead. In the bottom half of the fourth, the Manatees would cut the deficit to one as sophomore Renee Dixon would bring in Starinsky on a fielder's choice, but it would hardly faze the Eagles as they continued to pound the scoreboard with a six-run rally in the fifth inning and one run in the sixth to seal the first game.

Carlin would fall to 5-5 after giving up five runs (two earned) on six hits with three strikeouts in four and a third. Freshman Brielle Bostow would give up five runs (three earned) on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in one and two-thirds innings of relief.

Herrera would improve to 6-9 after throwing a six-inning complete game, giving up two runs on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts. She was also 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run

Nicholson (1-for-2, one RBI and one walk), sophomore Chantel Schurr (1-for-3, one stolen base) and freshman Stephanie Oaks (1-for-3, one stolen base) had the Manatees three hits. O'Kimosh (one walk and one run), Starinsky (one run), Dixon (one RBI) and sophomore Tori Copeland (one walk) also contributed in the game.

For the Eagles, aside from Herrera, sophomore Kaitlyn Nieves would go 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while freshman Emma Hart lead the way in offense as she finished 1-for-4 with two RBI and two runs.

Intermission:

After the first game, Schuerman and the coaching recognized all eight sophomores on the team: Dixon, Starinsky, Schurr, Nicholson, Copeland, O'Kimosh, Carlin and Olivia Seibert for their time with the Manatees.

Game Two:

Looking to bounce back and avoid being swept, Schuerman sent Rutherford to start game two, while Skapin went with sophomore Kyra Ward.

Once again, the Manatees would get on the board first as Oaks and Rutherford both singled to start it. After freshman Taylor Halback drew a walk, Oaks took advantage of a wild pitch and scored. Rutherford and Halback would then commit a double steal after Halback's walk as Rutherford stole home and scored while Halback stole second to make it 2-0 SCF.

While the Manatees held a 2-0 lead, Rutherford continued to play her role on the mound and struck out four in the first three innings. The Eagles however would shake Rutherford at the top of the fourth as sophomore Alexis Hollinger would send a single down the middle to cut the Manatees' lead to 2-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Manatees would extend their lead and add insurance runs. After freshman Haley Rosenbaum lead off the inning by reaching third off of a fielding error, Oaks would bring in Rosenbaum with an infield single before Rutherford hit a single of her own. After Halback moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, freshman Alissa Kessler would groundout and bring in Oaks to make it 4-1 SCF.

The Eagles would add one more run at the top of the sixth off of an RBI single by sophomore Alma Fernandez to make it 4-2 still in SCF's favor, but it was they could produce.

The highlight of the sixth inning was the defense from Starinsky. On a 2-2 count to Hollinger, with runners on the corners, Starinsky would get her to fly out. As she made the catch, Herrera, who was on third, seemed to tag up and for a sacrifice fly, but Starinsky caught her leaving early and was able to turn a double play and get the runner out at third before Rutherford sealed the deal for the win.

"I was just thinking 'what do we have to do to win and help my team?'," said Starinsky on the double play. "I think at the end of the day, you have to put everything on the line and that's what I was thinking when I was in the outfield. I knew if I caught that ball, it would be one out closer for us to hit again, and with the catch it definitely intimidated them (Polk State) and not want to take bases from me. Overall, I was thinking team."

"Molly is the perfect example of what teamwork is all about," said Rutherford on Starinsky. "I'm so proud of her."

"Molly made a great catch," said Schuerman on Starinsky. "Here effort was incredible. It was momentum change for us and I think that turned it back around for us."

Rutherford would improve to 8-10 after throwing a complete game, giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits with a season-high nine strikeouts. She was also 2-for-2 at the plate with a run, a walk and two stolen bases.

"I felt good out on the mound and was ready to play," said Rutherford. "I was excited to have energy on the field and my defense behind me. I couldn't have pitch like that without my defense behind me."

Oaks (1-for-4, one RBI, two runs and one steal) had the remaining hit, while Halback (two walks and two stolen bases), Kessler (one RBI), Starinsky (one walk), and Rosenbaum (one run) also contributed in the game.

For the Eagles, sophomore Kanitria Antenor lead the way in hitting as she went 2-for-3 with two runs and a stolen base.

Up Next:

The Manatees will close the season with their final game on the road as they face Polk State Friday, April 21 at 4 pm.

SCF Baseball Clips Down HCC

Tampa, Fla - The official debut of freshman Brandon Clarke was a success for him as helped the SCF baseball team (29-20, 15-3 Suncoast) put their foot on the gas on the road after defeating Hillsborough (9-36, 3-15 Suncoast) 16-2 in seven innings via the 10-run mercy rule.

The Manatees will return to action Monday night, April 17 at 6 pm with freshman Bryan Gomez (0-1, 5.19 ERA) given the nod to start. Sophomore Ryan Stefiuk (2-3, 5.69 ERA) will then follow him.

"Anytime you get a conference win, it's a great day" said head coach Tim Hill II. "It was nice playing in their stadium, which I know some of the guys were excited about that because it doesn't get to happen that often."

"We had a great team day today," said freshman Ed Wagner. "We had 16 runs to their (HCC) two and that worked out nicely for us. Everything was clicking today and was pretty smooth sailing."

"I thought we played great today," said freshman Erick Almonte. "The bats were going today and we played great defense. While the first two innings were shaky, we woke up and adjusted to it and just played ball."

Hill sent Clarke to the mound to start game two, while HCC head coach Raydon Leaton went with sophomore Quinn Prosser.

At the top of the first, the Manatees would get the first run on the board as sophomore Lucas Ismaili would bring in Almonte with a single. The Hawks would respond back in the bottom half of the inning as they shook Clarke with four walks and an RBI groundout by freshman Clark Springs. This would signal the end for Clarke as Hill would send Wagner to finish the first for him. Freshman Trey Santana would give the Hawks a 2-1 lead with a bases loaded walk before Wagner finished the first.

At the top of the second, the Manatees would tie the game as Almonte would bring in sophomore Liam Moreno. One inning later, the Manatees would regain the lead. After Ismaili (single) and sophomores Mario Lopez, Jr. (walk) and Brayden Woodburn (walk) loaded the bases, classmate Victor Sanchez would hit into a double play while Ismaili scored and Lopez advanced to third. Sophomore Austin Dearing would then hit a single and bring in Lopez. After another two-out single off the bat of Moreno, sophomore Richie Morales would line a double and bring in Dearing and Moreno to make it 6-2 SCF.

At the top of the fifth, Dearing would show some speed as he hit a triple to bring in Sanchez for a 7-2 SCF lead. One inning later, Ismaili would make it 8-2 after an RBI groundout to bring in Almonte.

At the top of the seventh, the Manatees would reach double digit runs. After Woodburn (single), Sanchez (single) and Moreno (walk) loaded the bases, Morales would hit into a fielder's choice to bring in Woodburn. Almonte would then hit a single and bring in Sanchez and Moreno before Karstetter brought in Morales and Almonte with a double to make it 13-2.

At the top of the seventh, the Manatees would add their final runs on the board. After a Woodburn walk and a Sanchez double, Dearing would reach first on a fielding error to bring in Woodburn before Moreno hit into a double play. After Morales drew a walk and Almonte hit a double, both would take advantage of two wild pitches to make it 16-2 SCF. From there, Moreno would end the game as he made a leaping catch in left to seal the deal.

Clarke would earn a no-decision after giving up one run with no hits and four walks in one-third of an inning. Despite that, the upcoming Liberty University transfer was happy to make his debut.

"I struggled a little bit, but it was nice getting back out there after a long time since October," said Clarke. "I just had fun and look to build off of that for my next outing. Even during the struggle, it was awesome to make my spring debut and got the nervous energy out of me."

"I was super proud of him," said Wagner on Clarke's debut. "He's been through some injuries this season and seeing back to pitching is awesome."

"I was emotional seeing him on the mound for the first time," said Almonte on Clarke. "I made sure to tell him to just relax. It's great to have him back."

"Even though Brandon didn't get the result he wanted it doesn't matter," said Hill on Clarke's debut. "He got his chance to start throwing again and to give him that experience was amazing."

Wagner would get the win after throwing six and two-third scoreless innings of relief, giving up five hits with three walks and three strikeouts. He is now 6-1 on the year.

"I felt good on the mound today," said Wagner. "Defense was eating it up and we scored a ton of runs."

Prosser would fall to 0-5 after giving up six runs on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings.

Eight Manatees had at least one hit with seven getting at least two and four getting three or more hits. Almonte would be overall offensive and hitting leader as he finished 5-for-5 with two doubles, four RBI, three runs and a walk.

"Honestly, it was the first time in my life that I had a 5-for-5 hit game," said Almonte. "It was a special one for me, but I was just trying to work with Javi (Miranda) to help me with my hitting and getting my foot to go down earlier, so everything kept rolling along."

"Erick swung the bat really well," said Hill on Almonte.

Ismaili, Sanchez and Dearing would follow as they each had three hits. Ismaili (3-for-5) added two RBI and a run, while Sanchez (3-for-5) added three runs.

Morales, Karstetter, Dearing and Moreno each had two hits. Morales (2-for-5) added three RBI, two runs and a walk, while Karstteter (2-for-4) added two RBI and a stolen base, Dearing (2-for-5) added three RBI and one run and Moreno (2-for-4) added three runs.

Woodburn (1-for-3, two runs and two walks) had the remaining hit, while Lopez (one run and one walk) also contributed.

For the Hawks, sophomores Johnathan Bruno and Jayson Yaccarino, Santana and freshmen Blake Williams and Cayden Box each had one hit.

Notes:

With his two walks, Woodburn has 42 this season and 82 in his career, while Almonte's one walk puts him at 36 this season. Both are respectively 18 and 24 walks away from surpassing Jody Reed (59, 1982) for the single season record. Additionally, Woodburn is 28 away from breaking Joey Collis' career walks record (109, 1994-95).

With his two hits (one double) and two RBI, Karstetter now has 214 hits, 55 career doubles and 154 RBI. He is seven doubles away from breaking the single season doubles record held by Paul Stryhas (33, 1997).

The 20 hits was the most this season.

Other Suncoast Scores:

Polk State (30-17, 12-6 Suncoast) defeated St. Pete (15-26, 6-12 Suncoast) 7-6 on Saturday.

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. SCF (29-20, 15-3)#

2. Polk State (30-17, 12-6)

3. St. Pete (15-26, 6-12)

4. HCC (9-36, 3-15)*

#Clinched playoff spot

*eliminated

SCF Baseball Clinches in Close Fashion

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (28-20, 14-3 Suncoast) were put on their toes for Suncoast Conference play as they withheld and defeated Hillsborough (9-35, 3-14 Suncoast) 7-6 at Wynn Field. With the win, the Manatees took the overall series against the Hawks.

"It was a great ballgame and they (HCC) played us tough with another close game," said head coach Tim Hill II. "While they are eliminated from postseason, they still played like they are trying to win the conference and that is what our conference is about and we have great teams. I thought Hillsborough played really well and fortunately we had one more run than them."

"I thought the hitters did a great job battling and being pretty selective with the pitches they got and not swinging at everything," said freshman Michael Forret. "I think it was a complete game as a team."

"I just think we played a complete game all-around and we have been doing that all year," said sophomore Lucas Ismaili. "We just need to keep it up and take it one game at a time and good things will happen."

"I thought overall we played really well as a team," said sophomore Liam Moreno. "Mike (Forret) had a great start of six innings and are bats were picking on their (HCC) pitches and then towards the end, the pitching took over from there with Richie (Morales) closing the game."

Hill sent Forret to the mound to start game one, while HCC head coach Raydon Leaton went with freshman Trey Santana.

As Forret breezed through the first inning, the Manatees would respond on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the first. After back-to-back singles by sophomore Richie Morales and freshman Erick Almonte, sophomore Kevin Karstetter would bring in Morales for the first run of the game. Following the sacrifice fly, classmate Lucas Ismaili would line a two-run home run for his eighth of the season for a 3-0 SCF lead.

After the second inning went scoreless, the Hawks would bring in their first run after sophomore Jacob Griffith would bring in a run on a groundout. The Manatees would respond back as Ismaili would bring in Karstetter with a double to make it 4-1 SCF.

At the top of the fourth, the Hawks would cut the Manatees lead in half as freshman Chris Cabina would hit a hard ground ball down the third base line for a double to make it 4-2 still in favor of SCF.

At the top of the sixth, the Hawks would then cut the lead to 4-3 as sophomore Johnathan Bruno smacked a leadoff solo homer to left for his third of the season. Forret still remained calm and was able to finish the sixth inning without fuss.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Manatees would bring the lead back up as Moreno would hit a one-out solo shot to right for his first collegiate home run in his career.

"It was awesome getting my first collegiate home run," said Moreno. "I'm glad I got to celebrate it with my boys. The pitcher (Faulkner) did a nice job in my previous at-bat and then gave me an outside fastball to try and sneak one behind me and it was kind of in the same spot and I just poked it out towards right field."

"Hats off to Liam," said Hill on Moreno. "After we stopped scoring and they started to chip at our lead, he stepped up big for us with that home run and the pitcher (Faulkner) threw really well, so him getting that home run helped us increase our lead and stretched it for us."

After an Almonte single before advancing to third on a wild pitch, Karstetter would send a hard infield single to third and bring in Almonte before Ismaili sent a infield single of his own to first while Karstetter scored to make it 7-3 SCF.

Hill would then send sophomore Ben Gilbert to the mound to come in for Forret. After he got out of the seventh without fuss, the Hawks would get Gilbert to buckle as they cut the deficit to 7-6 after sophomore Jackson Hugus (RBI hit by pitch and scored on wild pitch) and freshman Clark Springs (RBI groundout) brought in the runs. Gilbert was able to get the runner out at third after he attempted to score on a botched ball, but Hill would then send Morales to come in for Gilbert and would get Springs to strikeout in the eighth before he sealed the deal at the top of the ninth.

Forret would improve to 9-2 after giving up three runs on seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

"I felt good for the most part," said Forret. "I was just coming off of being sick and during the game I felt a little bit off, but overall I felt pretty good. I let the ball get put in play and let the guys take care of it and overall kept them to only three runs."

"I thought Michael threw really well after recovering from sickness where he gutted it out in his last start," said Hill on Forret. "While he looked like he wasn't strong as he was earlier, he still played a great game on the mound and gave us everything he had."

Morales would be credited with his second save of the season after throwing one and a third scoreless innings, giving up two hits with one walk and three strikeouts. He was also 1-for-3 with a run, a walk and a stolen base. Gilbert threw one and two-thirds innings of relief, giving up three runs on two hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Santana would fall to 0-2 after giving up three runs on three hits with one walk in one inning.

Redshirt freshman Toma Faulkner gave up one run on two hits with four walks and one strikeout in one and two-thirds innings of relief, while freshman Mason Tinsley gave up three runs on five hits with five strikeouts in five and a third innings of relief.

Ismaili would be the leader in hitting for the Manatees as he finished 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.

"I felt good at the plate," said Ismaili. "I was just taking it pitch by pitch every time I step up to the plate and it's been working, so I keep doing what I'm doing and good things should happen."

"Lucas has swinging well for us all year," said Hill on Ismaili. "There's a reason why he's hitting in the four hole for us and he just wants to win and obviously getting the long ball in the first inning helped us."

Karstetter would follow as he finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs, while Almonte rounded out the order as he finished 2-for-4 with two runs.

Lopez (1-for-2, two walks) and Moreno (1-for-3, one home run and one walk) had the remaining two hits, while sophomore Victor Sanchez (one walk) also contributed in the game.

For the Hawks, Santana (2-for-5, two runs), Griffith (2-for-4, one RBI) and Bruno (2-for-4, one home run and two runs) lead the way in hitting as they each had two hits.

Notes:

Forret was named the NJCAA Region 8 Pitcher of the Week.

With his two hits and two RBI in the game, Karstetter now has 214 career hits and 152 career RBI.

As a result of the win, the Manatees clinched a spot in the NJCAA Region 8 State Tournament.

Other Suncoast Scores:

Polk State (29-17, 11-5 Suncoast) defeated St. Pete College (15-25, 6-11 Suncoast) 10-2 in Clearwater.

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. SCF (28-20, 14-3)^

2. Polk State ((29-17, 11-5)

3. St. Pete (15-25, 6-11)

4. Hillsborough (9-35, 3-14)*

^Clinched Spot in Tournament

*Eliminated from Playoff Contention

Up Next:

The Manatees will head on the road for game two against Hillsborough as they will George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Freshman Brandon Clarke will be given the nod to start the game in his official SCF debut.

Forret Named FCSAA Player of the Week

Bradenton, Fla - Freshman Michael Forret's performance in the last two games earned himself the accolade of FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Pitcher of the Week. This was the second time that Forret has earned the weekly accolade this season.

"It's a credit to Michael," said head coach Tim Hill II. "He's a great pitcher and I'm glad he's on our side. He's confident, competitive and his stuff is good. He believes in himself and hats off to him for getting the accolade."

Forret went 2-0 for the week andpitched nine scoreless innings combined in the games against Florida Southwestern and St. Pete College.

In the win against FSW, Forret threw two scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts before throwing seven scoreless inning with nine strikeouts in the win against SPC.

Forret will look to gain some more momentum in his next start as the Manatees play Hillsborough.

SCF Baseball Prepares for Hillsborough

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (27-20, 13-3 Suncoast) will look to the next series of Suncoast Conference play in the second half of conference. The Manatees will face Hillsborough (9-34, 3-13 Suncoast) for the next series of games.

The Manatees swept the Hawks earlier in conference by scores of 12-1 (7), 16-6 (7), 8-6 and 8-7.

Possible Listed Starters:

Game One: Michael Forret

Game Two: Ed Wagner

Game Three: Ryan Stefiuk

Game Four: Jeremy Weaver

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. SCF (28-20, 13-3)

2. Polk State (28-17, 10-5)

3. St. Pete (15-24, 6-10)

4. Hillsborough (9-34, 3-13)*

*eliminated from playoff contention

Last Time Out:

The Manatees are coming off of completing their second series in conference against St. Pete. They defeated St. Pete by scores of 8-0, 7-6, 12-10 in the first three games before losing the series finale 13-11. With the series win in the second half of conference, the Manatees remain in first place in the conference standings by three games ahead of Polk State. Additionally, Polk State were upset by Hillsborough in the series finale after losing by a score of 14-6.

King Manatee:

Sophomore Kevin Karstetter has been the leader when it comes to batting, despite going 0-for-6 in the finale against St. Pete. Karstetter is batting .407 with 79 hits, 24 doubles, 10 home runs, 57 RBI and 53 runs.

Karstetter has already broken six of the Manatees' records offensively: At-bats (606 and counting), runs (150 and counting), hits (212 and counting), doubles (52 and counting) and RBI (150 and counting). In addition, the upcoming Arizona State transfer has set the record for the longest hitting streak in program history (31 games).

The Power is Theirs:

Alongside Karstetter's power, sophomore Lucas Ismaili has also been showing his part at the plate. Ismaili is batting .399 with 65 hits, seven home runs, 52 RBI and 46 runs. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs in his last outing.

Via social media, Ismaili has confirmed that he will be committing to the University of South Alabama with up to three years of eligibility remaining.

Another batter showcasing his power is freshman Jayce Blalock. Blalock is batting .286 with 22 hits, five home runs and 21 RBI. He went 2-for-4 with two RBI in his last outing.

Pitching Away:

Freshmen Michael Forret and Ed Wagner still continue to lead the way on the mound for the Manatees.

Forret is currently 8-2 with a 3.42 ERA, 13 walks and 73 strikeouts. In fact, he is tied for second in the nation in wins and #16 in the nation in strikeouts. In his last outing, Forret threw seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in the 8-0 win over SPC.

Wagner is currently 5-1 with a 4.20 ERA, 25 walks and 57 strikeouts. He earned a no-decision in the second game against St. Pete with three strikeouts.

Relieving Duties:

In two of the games against St. Pete, sophomore Connor Hults and freshman Liam Best have shown promise on the mound in relief.

Hults is currently 2-0 with a 2.69 ERA, 15 walks and 35 strikeouts. In the 7-6 win over St. Pete, the upcoming Florida State transfer threw a career-high 10 strikeouts in five and a third scoreless and hitless innings.

Best is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA, 21 walks and 29 strikeouts. Like Hults, the transfer George Washington University threw a career-high 10 strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings of relief.

Sophomore Nick Romagnola has also show some progress on the mound as well. Romagnola is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA, 11 walks and 10 strikeouts. 

Out of the Cold Spell:

Sophomore Mario Lopez, Jr. was hitless in four of his last five games until his last outing in the finale against St. Pete where he went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Lopez is batting .341 with 46 hits, 19 doubles, four home run and 43 RBI.

Hybrid Power:

Sophomore Ben Gilbert has been one of the key hybrid players for the Manatees at the plate and on the mound. Gilbert is batting .320 with 32 hits, three home runs and 25 RBI at the plate, while on the mound he is 1-0 with a 2.20 ERA, three saves, 10 walks and 28 strikeouts. In his last outing at the plate, the upcoming transfer for Florida Atlantic University went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs.

Walking Along:

Sophomore Brayden Woodburn and freshman Erick Almonte remain as two of the Manatees' leaders in walks from a national level.

Woodburn is currently batting .345 with 53 hits, six home runs, 33 RBI and 40 walks. His 40 walks tie for third in the nation. As far as in the record books, the upcoming transfer for the University of Tampa needs 20 to surpass Jody Reed (59, 1981-82) for the single season record and 30 to surpass Joey Callies (109, 1994-95) for the career record. Woodburn was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

Almonte is batting .302 with 45 hits, one home run, 25 RBI and 35 walks. His 35 walks rank tied for #19 in the nation. Almonte went 1-for-2 with three walks in his last outing.

Much Waited Debut:

For most of the entire season, the Manatees have been waiting and anticipating the debut of freshman Brandon Clarke. Clarke, a transfer from the University of Alabama, has not played all season due to injury. He will likely make his official debut for the Manatees possibly in the first game against HCC.

After his stint with the Manatess, Clarke will be transferring to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia with three years of eligibility remaining.

Wilding Out:

As far as the wildcards, sophomore Richie Morales, Ryan Stefiuk and Victor Sanchez and freshmen Jeremy Weaver, Jalen Hairston and LT Cockrill play the roles.

Morales, another hybrid on the team, is batting .306 with 33 hits, one home run and 18 RBI, while on the mound he is 2-0 with a 3.80 ERA, two walks and six strikeouts. He went 0-for-5 at the plate with an RBI in his last game, while throwing one scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts.

Stefiuk is 2-3 with a 5.69 ERA, 23 walks and 46 strikeouts.

Sanchez is batting .283 with 32 hits, three home runs and 21 RBI.

Weaver is 2-3 with a 5.00 ERA, 40 walks and 63 strikeouts.

Hairston is batting .262 with 11 hits, one home run and three RBI, while going 1-0 with a 8.18 ERA, one save, 10 walks and 12 strikeouts on the mound.

Cockrill is batting .288 with 17 hits, one home run and 13 RBI.

Scouting HCC:

The Hawks are coming off of losing their last conference series to Polk State. They would in the first three games by close scores of 9-6, 6-4 and 5-3 before winning the final game of the series by a score of 14-6. They are currently in last place in the Suncoast and have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Freshman Blake Williams is batting .207 with six home runs and 33 RBI, while redshirt sophomore Jacob Griffith leads the team in hitting batting .345 with 58 hits, one home run and 30 RBI.

On the mound, classmate Logan O'Leary leads the way as he is 6-7 with a 4.63 ERA, 22 walks and 57 strikeouts.

How to Keep Up:

Livestats will be provided by GameChanger. For games one and three, they will air livestream on the SCF Sports Network. Fans can also keep up the Manatees on Twitter.

Livestream link - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/scf/

GameChanger Link: https://gc.com/t/spring-2023/state-college-of-florida-baseball-63d48f85286d367aef01de22/schedule/games

Twitter - @SCFBaseball

Big Rally Helps SCF Baseball Take Second Series @ SPC

Clearwater, Fla - Freshman Liam Best career-best outing on the mound helped the SCF baseball team (27-19, 13-2 Suncoast) rally for a comeback in success as they defeated St. Pete College (14-24, 5-10 Suncoast) 12-10 at Jack Russell Stadium. The Manatees lead 6-1 int the overall series against the Titans this season.

Head coach Tim Hill II sent sophomore Ryan Stefiuk (2-3, 4.61 ERA) to the mound to start for the Manatees while SPC head coach Oscar Espada went with sophomore Manuel Meilan (2-2, 5.92 ERA) to counter.

The Manatees would strike first at the top of the first. After sophomore Richie Morales and freshman Erick Almonte drew back-to-back walks, before they committed a double steal to get into scoring position, sophomore Kevin Karstetter would send an infield single to short to bring in Morales for the first run of the game. Classmate Lucas Ismaili would then bring in Almonte to make it 2-0 SCF.

While Stefiuk held the Titans scoreless in the first two innings, the Manatees would extend their lead at the top of the third. After a Morales single, Karstetter would send a double to left to bring in Morales before Ismaili hit a hard single to left to bring in Karstetter for a 4-0 SCF lead.

In the bottom of the third, the Titans would eventually get Stefiuk to buckle. After getting two outs, they would going on a scoring run and take a 5-4 lead, thanks to two RBI singles and two bases loaded walks. This would signal the end for Stefiuk as Hill would send Best to the mound. Another bases loaded walk, a two-run single and a run scored on a fielding error increased the Titans lead to 9-4. 

The Manatees would not lose hope and planned for a comeback at the top of the fourth beginning with a leadoff single by sophomore Brayden Woodburn. After classmate Victor Sanchez reached first on a fielder's choice and sophomore Ben Gilbert hit a single, Sanchez would score on a wild pitch before freshman Jayce Blalock reached first on a Titan fielding error before Gilbert scored on another fielding error by the catcher while Blalock moved to third. Almonte would then hit an infield single to second and bring in Blalock to cut the Titans lead to 9-7.

At the top of the fifth, the Manatees would continue to push themselves to added to their score beginning with a Ismaili leadoff single and sophomore Mario Lopez, Jr. getting hit by a pitch. After moving to scoring position from a Woodburn groundout, Gilbert would play his role offensively and send a single to right to bring in Ismaili and Lopez to tie the game at nine apiece.

Meanwhile, Best continued to play his part on the mound and continued pounding the zone while preventing the Titans from scoring. At the top of the sixth, the Manatees would regain the lead as Karstetter scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-9 SCF before Best struck out the side in the bottom half of the inning.

At the top of the seventh, the Manatees added their final runs of the game for insurance. After a one-out double by Gilbert, Blalock would hit a towering double to right to bring in Gilbert before Morales would brought in Blalock with a single to make it 12-9 SCF.

Best would continue pounding the zone until the bottom of the eighth when the Titans scored a run on a fielder's choice to make it 12-10 still in favor of SCF. Hill would then pull Best and send Gilbert to the mound, while sending sophomore Austin Dearing to center. From there, Gilbert would finish the eighth and ninth inning with ease as the Manatees sealed the deal for the win.

Stefiuk and Meilan would both earn no-decisions. Stefiuk gave up eight runs on seven hits with four walks and one strikeout in two and two-thirds innings, while Meilan gave up nine runs (four earned) on five hits with three walks and one strikeout.

Best would improve to 2-0 after giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits with two walks and a career-high 10 strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings of relief.

Gilbert would earn his third save of the season after throwing one and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts. He also lead the way in hitting as he went 4-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.

Freshman Esaid Pena would fall to 0-4 after giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts in two and a third innings of relief. Sophomore Chad Baker threw three and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief, giving up one hit with one walk and four strikeouts.

Apart from Gilbert, three other Manatees had a multi-hit game. Karstetter finished behind Gilbert as he went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, two runs and a walk.

Morales and Ismaili rounded out the order as they both had two hits apiece. Morales (2-for-5) added one RBI, two runs, one walk and a stolen base, while Ismaili (2-for-4) added two RBI, one run and one walk.

Almonte (1-for-4, one RBI, one run, one walk and one stolen base), Woodburn (1-for-4) and Blalock (1-for-5, one RBI and two runs) had the remaining three hits, while Lopez (one run and one walk) and Sanchez (one run and one walk) also contributed.

For the Titans, freshman Kelsen Johnson lead the way in hitting as he went 3-for-6 with an RBI, while classmates Brett Wagner and Andrey Martinez lead the way in RBI as they went 2-for-4 (Wagner) and 2-for-5 (Martinez) respectively with two RBI each.

Notes:

Karstetter's three hits put him at 212 career hits, while his two RBI put him at 150 career RBI. Additionally from his hits, his two doubles put him at 52 for his career.

Almonte's one walk puts him at 32 this season and needs 28 to surpass Jody Reed (59, 1981-82) for the single season record, while being on pace with Woodburn (39 walks) as he is 30 away from breaking the single season record.

Other Suncoast Scores:

Polk State (28-16, 10-5 Suncoast) defeated Hillsborough (8-34, 2-13 Suncoast) 5-3 in Winter Haven to take the series.

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. SCF (27-19, 13-2)

2. Polk State (28-16, 10-5)

3. St. Pete (14-24, 5-10)

4. Hillsborough (8-34, 2-13)

Up Next:

The Manatees return to action Wednesday night, April12 at 6 pm. Freshman Jeremy Weaver (2-2, 3.86 ERA) will be given the nod to start.

SCF Baseball Take Series Over SPC

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF baseball team (26-19, 12-2 Suncoast) pulled off another win in walk-off fashion as they defeated St. Pete College (14-23, 5-9 Suncoast) 7-6 at Wynn Field. Wit the win, the Manatees 

"Anytime you get a conference win, it's always a good thing," said head coach Tim Hill II. "St. Pete played us pretty tough and they batted and could have came here and rolled over a little bit, but we weren't expecting it, even when we did good last night and today's game came down to the last pitch, so it was good that we were on the winning side of that."

"Overall, we came out a little shaky," said sophomore Connor Hults. "I think we all just believed in our talents and in each other. At the end of the day, we knew that we were the better team and we just did it."

"I thought we came out a little shaky, but we got passed it," said freshman Jayce Blalock. "If we hit, have good defense and decent pitching, then I don't see us losing and we had all three of those in use."

"The way this team is built means that it's not over until the final pitch," said sophomore Mario Lopez, Jr.

Hill sent freshman Ed Wagner to the mound, while SPC head coach Oscar Espada went with sophomore Tanner Boccabello.

The Titans would rattle Wagner at the top of the first as freshman Keslen Johnson would send a solo home run to left for his third of the season. The Manatees would respond back in the bottom half of the inning as sophomores Kevin Karstetter and Lucas Ismaili would hit back-to-back solo home runs for their 10th and seventh of the season.

Wagner would get into a bit of a jam at the top of the second with the bases full of Titans, but was able to get out of the situation with the defense behind him. Sophomore Brayden Woodburn would respond for the Manatees in the bottom half of the inning as he belted a solo home run to center for his sixth of the season to make it 3-1 SCF.

At the top of the fourth, the Titans got Wagner to buckle as freshman Andrey Martinez would send a three-run homer to center for his 10th of the season to put the Titans in front 4-3. Johnson would then hit an RBI single before freshman Brett Wagner made it 6-3 with an RBI double. The final run would signal the end for Wagner as Hill would send Hults to the mound to relief him and get him out of the fourth. The Manatees would not lose hope and would cut the deficit to 6-4 after Blalock hit a single to bring in Ismaili in the bottom of the fourth.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Manatees would cut the Titans lead to 6-5 as freshman LT Cockrill would line a single to right to bring in Woodburn. One inning later, the Manatees would tie the game at six apiece as Ismaili would hit into a sacrifice fly to bring in freshman Erick Almonte.

While the Manatees pushed to tie the game, Hults continued to pound the zone on the mound as the upcoming Florida State transfer was able to keep the Titans from reaching base. After Hults completed the top of the ninth, the Manatees would go for the walk-off win in the bottom half of the inning. After Almonte (hit by a pitch), Karstetter (walk) and Ismaili (reached on an error), Lopez would be the hero as he brought in Almonte on a sacrifice fly to give the Manatees the walk-off win.

"I knew what I doing up to that point," said Lopez. "At the end of the day, even with the pitcher throwing behind me, I had to do what the assignment for us. I just tried to pick one pitch and luckily I had it on a 1-0 and I was just sitting on it to get it up in the air and get us the win."

Wagner and Boccabello would both earn no-decisions. Wagner gave up six runs on nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts in three and two-thirds, while Boccabello gave up six runs on 11 hits with one walk and six strikeouts in seven innings.

Hults would get his second win of the season after throwing five and a third scoreless innings of relief with two walks and a career-high 10 strikeouts.

"I just trusted my talents," said Hults. "I knew I had to come pick the team up when we were down two runs and I knew that if I came in and got the momentum back on our side, let my fielder's make some plays, then I wasn't worried that we were going to win that game."

"Connor was the turning point for us," said Hill on Hults. "When he got into the game and they (St. Pete) stopped scoring, he was outstanding. We stretched him and wanted to take him out a little earlier than we did, but he talked into keeping him in the game. He's a competitor, but he was good and threw 75 pitches, which was the most he has thrown this season, but he was in control and as long as his stuff was good, we kept him out there, he battled and gave us the chance to claw back for the win."

Sophomore Gavin Sissel would be hit with the loss after giving up one run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout in one and a third of an inning of relief. Sophomore Leonardo Bravo threw a third of a scoreless inning of relief.

Blalock would be the leader in hits as he went 4-for-4 with an RBI.

"I felt good at the plate," said Blalock on his batting. "I made some adjustments during batting practice this morning and I just felt better. I was seeing the ball well, avoiding bad pitches and was not getting myself out."

Ismaili and Woodburn each finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored. Ismaili added two RBI, while Woodburn added one RBI and two runs. 

Karstetter (1-for-4, one home run and one walk), Almonte (1-for-4, two runs) and Cockrill (1-for-2, one RBI) and sophomore Richie Morales (1-for-4) had the remaining four hits, while Lopez (one RBI) also contributed in the game.

For the Titans, Johnson would be the only player on the team with a multi-hit game as he went 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. Martinez would lead the overall offense as he went 1-for-3 with three RBI.

Notes:

Karstetter home run puts him at 209 career hits and 147 career RBI.

Other Suncoast Scores:

Polk State (27-16, 9-5 Suncoast) defeated Hillsborough (8-33, 2-12 Suncoast) 6-4 and have eliminated them from FCSAA Playoff Contention.

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. SCF (26-19, 12-2)

2. Polk State (27-16, 9-5)

3. St. Pete (14-23, 5-9)

4. Hillsborough (8-33, 2-12)*

*eliminated from playoff contention

Up Next:

The Manatees return to Clearwater Monday night, April 10 at 6 pm. Sophomore Ryan Stefiuk (2-3, 4.61 ERA) will be given the nod to start.

SCF Baseball Opens Round Two of Conference With a Win

Clearwater, Fla - The SCF baseball team (25-19, 11-2 Suncoast) started the second half of Suncoast Conference strong as they shutout St. Pete College (14-22, 5-8 Suncoast) 8-0 at Jack Russell Stadium.

"The game was amazing," said head coach Tim Hill II. "Michael Forret was in complete control and Cameron Clines did well on the mound after. Hitting was very consistent and our defense did not allow St. Pete to get a run on the board. Hats off to the guys for getting the job done."

Hill sent freshman Michael Forret to start game one, while SPC head coach Oscar Espada went with sophomore Matt Brown.

After the first two innings went scoreless, the Manatees would strike first on the offensive end. After a one-out single by sophomore Richie Morales and a walk drawn by freshman Erick Almonte, sophomore Kevin Karstetter would send a double to right to bring in Morales for the first run of the game. Classmate Lucas Ismaili would then groundout to bring in Almonte to make it 2-0 SCF.

One inning later, the Manatees added to their lead beginning with a leadoff single by sophomore Brayden Woodburn. After classmate Victor Sanchez hit a double, sophomore Ben Gilbert would send a double to left to bring in Woodburn and Sanchez before Morales hit a double of his own to bring in Gilbert. Karstetter would then hit his third double of the game to bring in Morales for a 6-0 lead.

At the top of the sixth, the Manatees would add their final runs. After sophomore Austin Dearing (single), Morales (walk) and Almonte (hit by a pitch) loaded the bases, Ismaili would ground into a fielder's choice and bring in Dearing before Morales scored on a fielding error to make it 8-0 SCF.

From there, the Manatees would ease through the remainder of the game as they sealed the deal for the win.

Forret would improve to 8-2 after throwing seven scoreless innings, giving up six hits with one walk and nine strikeouts. Sophomore Cameron Clines would throw two scoreless innings with three walks.

Brown would fall to 4-5 after giving up eight runs (seven earned) on 12 hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings. Freshman Braeden Cochran would throw three scoreless innings of relief, giving up one hit with one walk and one strikeout.

Karstetter would be the leader in hitting as he went 3-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI and a stolen base. Woodburn, Sanchez and Gilbert each had two hits. Woodburn (2-for-4) added a run and a stolen base, Sanchez (2-for-4) added one run and Gilbert (2-for-4) added two RBI and a run.

Ismaili (1-for-5, two RBI) and Dearing (1-for-3, one run) had the remaining two hits, while Almonte (one run and one walk) also contributed.

For the Titans, freshmen Brett Wagner and Kelsen Johnson each had two hits.

Notes:

With his one RBI, Karstetter has broken Al Corbeil's record for most career RBI (145, 1998-99) with 146 RBI. Additionally, his three hits (all doubles) not only put him at 208 career hits, but he has surpassed Paul Stryas (49, 1996-97) for most career doubles. He now has 50 career doubles.

Other Suncoast Scores:

Polk State (26-16, 8-5 Suncoast) defeated Hillsborough (8-32, 2-11 Suncoast) 9-6 in the first game of the second half of conference play. Game two will take place at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. SCF (25-19, 11-2)

2. Polk State (26-16, 8-5)

3. St. Pete (14-22, 5-8)

4. Hillsborough (8-32, 2-11)

Up Next:

Game two will turn towards Robert C. Wynn Field Saturday afternoon, April 8 at 1 pm. Freshman Ed Wagner (5-1, 3.46 ERA) will be given the nod to start the game.

SCF Softball Sweep Polk State

Winter Haven, Fla - The SCF softball team (18-20, 3-5 Suncoast) got back to winning for Suncoast Conference play as they defeated Polk State (13-20, 0-6 Suncoast) 8-0 in in five innings via mercy rule and 10-5.

"We had two great team wins today," said head coach Mandy Schuerman. "We had a good effort and plenty of energy. It always feels good to win. Hopefully we can us this energy to push forward on Friday.

"Overall, we stayed on top all day," said sophomore Chantel Schurr. "We pounded the zone, made plays behind our pitcher and hit the ball hard. We all did our jobs individually, which lead to staying up and winning as a team. Getting the sweep feels nice, but we can't get too comfortable and have to realize that this is a step in the right direction and we need to keep our foot on the gas.

"As a team, we killed it today," said sophomore Gabi Nicholson. "We all had each others back through the whole game and every time someone didn't move the runner over, the next hitter would. It felt great getting the sweep. We came out with great attitudes and kept pushing the whole game."

Game One:

Scheurman went with freshman Karsyn Rutherford to start game one, while Polk State head coach Mark Skapin went with freshman Baileigh Herrera.

After the first inning went scoreless, the Manatees would go on a big scoring run at the top of the second. After freshman Alissa Kessler reached on a fielding error and Rutherford hitting a single to center, Nicholson would bring in the first run as she hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Kessler. After sophomore Molly Starinsky reached on another fielding error, Schurr would show her contact and speed on the first pitch as she sent a triple to right to bring in Rutherford and Startinsky. Freshman Stephanie Oaks would then hit an infield single to bring in Schurr and stole second before classmate Taylor Halback sent a double to left to bring in Oaks for a 5-0 SCF lead.

At the top of the fourth, sophomore Tori Copeland would extend the score to 6-0 after bringing in Schurr. One inning later, Nicholson would show her power at the plate as she sent a two-run homer to center to bring in freshman Haley Rosenbaum and herself for her second of the season before Rutherford sealed the mercy rule win.

Rutherford would improve to 7-6 after throwing a two-hit five inning shutout with two walks. She was also 1-for-3 with a run at the plate.

Herrera would fall to 3-5 after giving up five unearned runs on five hits with two strikeouts in two innings. Sophomore Jacey Bisbee would give up three runs on two hits with two walks in three innings of relief.

Oaks would lead the team in hitting as she went 2-for-2 with an RBI, one run and two stolen bases. Nicholson and Schurr lead the way offensively. Nicholson finished 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI, while Schurr went 1-for-2 with two RBI, two runs, one walk and one stolen base.

Halback (1-for-3, one RBI) and sophomore Presley O'Kimosh (1-for-3) would have the Manatees remaining two hits, while Copeland (one RBI and one stolen base), Kessler (one walk), Rosenbaum (one run) and Starinsky (one run) also contributed in the game.

Freshmen Chelsi Rae' Hebert and Suhelly Mercado had the only hits for the Eagles.

Game Two:

For game two, Schuerman went with freshman Brielle Bostow, while Skapin went with sophomore Kyra Ward.

At the top of the first inning, the Manatees would go on a scoring frenzy. After Copeland and Oaks hit back-to-back singles, O'Kimosh would line a single to center to bring in Copeland for the first run of the second game. After Kessler drew a walk to load the bases, Nicholson would then draw a walk to bring in Oaks and reload the bases. After Rutherford drew a walk that brought in O'Kimosh and reload the bases a second time, Schurr would once again show her speed and contact on the swing as she cleared the bases with a triple to bring in Kessler, Nicholson and Rutherford. Sophomore Olivia Seibert would then send a single to bring in Schurr before freshman Maddisan Noriega would get hit by a pitch. After Seibert tagged up third, Oaks would then send an infield single to first to bring in Seibert to make it 8-0 SCF and invoke the eight-run mercy rule. 

The Manatees continued to hold the lead to the fifth for another mercy rule win, but an RBI double by sophomore Alma Fernandez and a Manatee fielding error gave the Eagles their first two runs of the game.

The Eagles continued to cut the deficit to 8-5 after a sacrifice fly by freshman Jenna Satterfield, an RBI single by Fernandez and an RBI triple by sophomore Kanitria Antenor in the bottom of the sixth.

At the top of the seventh, the Manatees would add a couple of extra runs to their board beginning with a leadoff single by Nicholson before redshirt freshman Jordan O'Brien came in to pinch run. After a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Sam Carlin moved O'Brien to second and a single by Schurr put runners at the corners, Schurr would steal second and advanced to third while O'Brien scored on a passed ball. After Seibert and Halback drew back-to-back walks, Copeland would send a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Schurr for a 10-5 SCF lead before sealing the sweep.

Bostow would improve to 6-11 after giving up five runs (one earned) on seven hits with two walks and one strikeout in five and two-thirds innings. Carlin would throw one and a third scoreless innings, giving up one hit and one walk.

Ward would fall to 4-9 after giving up seven runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Herrera would give up three runs on three hits with two walks in two innings of relief.

Schurr would be the leader at the plate in the second game as she went 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBI, two runs, one walk and two stolen bases. She finished 4-for-5 with two triples, five RBI, four runs and three stolen bases.

"I felt super confident at the plate today," said Schurr. "I feel like I just knew I had a job that needed to get done and I was there for that reason."

Oaks would finish the second game 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. She would finish the series 4-for-6 with two RBI, two runs and two stolen bases.

Nicholson went 1-for-3 with an RBI, a run and a walk. She finished 2-for-6 with a home run and four RBI.

"I felt great at the plate today," said Nicholson. "While it was not exactly the outcome I wanted, the results were great and scoring my team runs means more than anything."

Copeland (1-for-4, one RBI and one run), O'Kimosh (1-for-3, one RBI and one run) and Seibert (1-for-3, one RBI, one run and one stolen base) had the remaining hits, while Kessler (one run and one walk), O'Brien (one run), Rutherford (one RBI, one run and one walk) and Halback (one walk) also contributed in the second game.

For the Eagles, Fernandez lead the way in hitting as she went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Antenor went 2-for-3.

Other Suncoast Scores:

St. Pete (24-13, 5-1 Suncoast) defeated Hillsborough (17-19, 6-2 Suncoast) 6-2 and 3-2 (9).

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. Hillsborough (17-19, 6-2)

2. St. Pete (24-13, 5-1)

3. SCF (18-20, 3-5)

4. Polk State (13-20, 0-6)

Up Next:

The Manatees return home to the SCF Softball Complex for a doubleheader as they welcome Eastern Florida State (15-28, 0-7 Southern) and #1 Florida Southwestern (37-3, 7-0 Southern) Friday, April 7 at 1 and 5 pm.

SCF SB Splits for First Conference Win

Bradenton, Fla - The SCF softball team (16-18, 1-5 Suncoast) were able to pull off their first win in Suncoast Conference play as they split with St. Pete College (22-13, 3-1 Suncoast) losing game one 9-0 in five innings before winning game two 9-7.

"We have to do a better of bringing in a consistent approach both offensively and defensively," said head coach Mandy Schuerman. "I think once we do that, good things happen as it showed in the second game."

"I think that we played as a team," said sophomore Chantel Schurr. "In the first game, we came out energized, but we didn't string enough hits together, but in the second game, that backed everything up and it helped a lot because we played so much together in that game and it was really to get our first conference win from here on out, we're going to make it through."

"I think we came out hot as a team," said sophomore Molly Starinsky. "I feel like everyone in the dugout, individually, was up and cheering each other on and I think that it contributed a lot to our win, but it was also stringing our hits together. I think we figured that out in the second game and that's definitely going to help us keep winning our games in the future."

Game One:

Schuerman sent freshman Brielle Bostow to start game one, while SPC head coach Bre Myers went with freshman Kaylee Childers.

It was all SPC as they were able to take advantage of several errors made by the Manatees before claiming the first game.

Bostow would fall to 5-10 after giving up two runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeout in one and a third. Freshman Karsyn Rutherford gave up four runs (two earned) on four hits with one walk in two innings of relief, while sophomore Sam Carlin gave up three unearned runs on three hits in one and two-thirds innings of relief.

Childers would improve to 7-1 after throwing a five inning five-hit shutout with one walk.

Schurr (1-for-1), sophomores Tori Copeland (1-for-3), Presley O'Kimosh (1-for-2) and Gabi Nicholson (1-for-2) and freshman Stephanie Oaks (1-for-3, two stolen bases) each had one of the Manatees five hits.

Four Titans (sophomores Sierrah Snook, Karleigh Curtis, Abby Dickson and Kelsey Kadlub) each had two hits with Curtis and Dickson each securing two RBI.

Game Two:

Hoping to bounce back from the shutout loss, Schuerman went with Bostow again, while Myers went with sophomore Justice McCraine.

The Titans would open on the scoreboard first at the top of the first after a two-run double by Kadlub. The Manatees would respond back in the bottom half of the inning. After drew a walk and Oaks reached on a error, O'Kimosh would send a hard single to center and bring in Copeland for the first run. After Oaks and O'Kimosh committed a double steal, Oaks would tie the game at 2-2 off of a Titan throwing error.

At the top of the second, the Titans would retake the lead after a fielding error before Kadlub popped a single to left to make it 4-2 SPC. The Manatees would once again respond as Copeland would send a hard single to left to bring in Rutherford to cut the deficit to 4-3 still in favor of SPC.

In the bottom of the third, the Manatees would go for their first lead of the game. After O'Kimosh hit a leadoff single, freshman Haley Rosenbaum would come in to pinch run for her, but it was short lived as Schurr would ground into a fielder's choice before stealing second. After Nicholson reached on a fielding error, freshman Taylor Halback would open the opportunity to tie the game at 4-4 as she sent a double to left-center to bring in Schurr. After Rutherford drew a walk to load the bases, all eyes turned towards Starinsky to play a big part. On a 2-1 count, the native of Hillard, Ohio would line a single to center and give the Manatees their first lead of the game as she brought in Nicholson and Halback.

"I was just happy and excited that I got on and my teammates get in," said Starinsky. "It's not anything that I did super spectacular, it's good girls on our team. Our girls are taking advantage of those hits down the middle and I loved it because it was exciting to see.  It made me want to keep going for my team and myself and I kept building the energy after the ball."

"I think there's a time for everybody, which is why this is a team sport, but this one was with help from Molly," said Schuerman on Starinsky. "Honestly, when someone new steps up on the team, it shows a good result and we are very excited and happy for her performance, even if it's expected from time to time because they do so well in practice and show it in the games."

Oaks would then hit an infield single on a 3-1 count and bring in Rutherford for a 7-4 SCF lead before the inning ended.

At the top of the sixth, the Titans would cut the Manatees lead to 7-6 after RBI singles by Dickson and Kadlub, but this made the Manatees answer back in the bottom half beginning with Oaks reaching on a fielding error before stealing second and advancing to third on a tag up. O'Kimosh would then pull a suicide squeeze bunt and bring in Oaks. This would give Schurr an opportunity for an insurance run as she sent a solo homer to center for her third of the season and a 9-6 SCF lead.

"Honestly, my first couple of at-bats definitely could have been better," said Schurr on the home run. "I think backing up my team, even when I came up to bat, I was just thinking 'base hit, base hit, base hit', which was a given, but in my last at-bat I told myself to get myself together because I know I'm a great athlete and so is my team and to come out and win while stringing hits along together. While the home run was not on purpose, it was great to have and I'm glad I was able to do a job for my team and get an extra run on the board.

Schurr's parents, Mark and Alicia, were in attendance and Schurr describes it as a heart felt moment.

"The fact that I was able to hit a home run with my mom and dad in attendance was the icing on the cake for me," said Schurr.

The Titans would try one more attempt to at least tie the game as Snook hit an RBI single, but it was all they could produce as the Manatees sealed the second game.

Bostow would earn a no-decision after giving up three runs on five hits with one walk in one inning. Carlin would improve to 5-0 after giving up four runs (one earned) on eight hits with one strikeout in six innings of relief.

McCraine would fall to 6-4 after giving up six runs (three earned) on six hits with two walks and one strikeout. Childers would give up two unearned runs on four hits in three and a third innings of relief, while freshman Sydney Sackett gave up one run with one walk in no innings of relief.

Halback lead the way in hitting as she went 3-for-3 with two doubles, one RBI and one run. O'Kimosh followed as she finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Starinsky tied with O'Kimosh in RBI as she finished 1-for-2 with two RBI, a walk and a stolen base, while Schurr went 1-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and a stolen base.

On the base paths, Oaks lead the way after finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI, two runs and three stolen bases. She finished 2-for-6 with five stolen bases.

Copeland (1-for-3, one RBI and one run) and Nicholson (1-for-4, one run) had the remaining two hits, while Rutherford (two runs, one walk and one stolen base) also contributed in the game.

For the Titans, Snook and Kadlub each had three hits each with Kadlub the offensive game with four RBI.

Other Suncoast Scores:

Hillsborough (17-16, 6-0 Suncoast) swept Polk State (13-18, 0-4 Suncoast) by scores of 2-1 and 8-0 in six innings.

Up Next:

The Manatees will head on the road to Fort Pierce as they will face host #15 Indian River State (35-7, 5-0 Southern) and #1 Florida Southwestern (35-3, 6-0 Southern) Saturday afternoon at 3:15 and 5:15 pm.