"I thought our pitching was good," said head coach Tim Hill II. "While we didn't get to hit the ball much in the first game as HCC's starting pitcher pitched really good and made some big mistakes that cost us, but I'm glad the boys bounced back in the second game so we can take the series over Hillsborough."

 

"We had a tough loss in the first game with a lot of opportunities to take it, but we bounced back in the second game," said freshman Allan Gil-Fernandez. "Things happen because we didn't do what we were capable of doing, but our pitching paved the way in the second game for us"

 

"It's always nice to bounce back and hang our heads up after a tough loss in the first game," said freshman Hayden Gustavson. "We turned it around in the next game and pulled it off."

 

Game One:

Hill II sent sophomore Ed Wagner (2-4, 6.75 ERA) to start the first game, while HCC head coach Raydon Leaton went with freshman Zach Redner (2-1, 4.77 ERA) to counter.

 

The first three innings were a pitcher's duel between Wagner and Redner as both exchanged a combined seven strikeouts. In the bottom of the fourth, the Hawks would get on board first after back-to-back bases loaded walks by freshmen Bennett Weinard and Jack Meade made it 2-0 HCC.

 

The Manatees would respond two innings later as freshman Pip Smalley would send a double to right-center to bring in sophomore Jalen Hairston. At the top of the seventh, the Manatees would load the bases to try and tie the game, but they were unsuccessful as the Hawks took game one.

 

Despite a valiant effort, Wagner would fall to 2-5 after giving up two runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts in five innings. Freshman Dylan DeLeo would throw one scoreless inning of relief with one hit, one walk and one strikeout.

 

Redner would improve to 3-1 after giving up one run on four hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in six innings, while freshman Luke Fikar would earn his eighth save after throwing one scoreless inning of relief with three walks.

 

Hairston would lead the way in hitting as he went 2-for-3 with a run. Smalley (1-for-2, one RBI) and sophomore Santiago Ordonez (1-for-2) had the remaining two hits, while sophomores Erick Almonte (one walk), Luis Garrido (one walk) and LT Cockrill (one walk) and freshman Walker Vanecek (one walk) also contributed in the game.

 

Sophomore Jacob Bowman and freshman Blake Opie lead the way in hitting as they each had two hits.

 

Game Two:

Looking to bounce back and secure the rubber match, Hill II sent freshman Palmer O'Beirne (4-1, 5.09 ERA) while Leaton went with sophomore Lex Sanchez (3-1, 5.48 ERA).

 

The top of the first belonged to the Manatees as Gil-Fernandez would send a three-run blast to left for his fifth of the season and give the Manatees a 3-0 lead.

 

"I wasn't hitting at all last week and it was good that I was able to get something going to help my team," said Gil-Fernandez.

 

In the bottom of the second, woes started to catch up to the Manatee briefly as the Hawks cut the lead to 3-2 after a bases-loaded walk from sophomore Brecken Fair and Opie scoring on a fielding error. 

 

The Manatees would respond at the top of the third as Smalley would bring in Almonte with an RBI groundout. One inning later, after a leadoff single by Ordonez, Gustavson, who was returning to the lineup from injury, would send a two-run homer to left for his second of the season.

 

"When I was batting, Coach Hill told me to be more patient," said Gustavson. "I took his advice and it worked out."

 

At the top of the fifth, with the bases loaded by Hairston (walk), Gil-Fernandez (single) and freshman Walker Vanecek (hit by a pitch), Gustavson would then reach first on a field error while Hairston scored to make it 7-2 SCF. One inning later, the Manatees would add their final run of the game as Hairston would send a single to right to bring in sophomore Luke Boykin to make it 8-2 SCF.

 

The Hawks would add their final run of the game after an RBI single by Bowman, but O'Beirne was able to finish the sixth with ease. From there, the Manatees would seal the victory and take the series.

 

O'Beirne would improve to 5-1 after giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in six innings. Sophomore Bryan Gomez earned his first save of the season after throwing three scoreless innings of relief with one hit, one walk and one strikeout.

 

Sanchez would fall to 3-2 after giving up six runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in three and a third innings.

 

Five Manatees had a multi-hit game in the second game. It was Gil-Fernandez that lead the offense as he 2-for-5 with three RBI. Gustavson would follow finishing 2-for-5 with two RBI. Hairtson (2-for-4), Smalley (2-for-5) and Ordonez (2-for-5) rounded out the order with two hits each. Hairston and Smalley each had one RBI and one run, while Ordonez had one run.

 

Vanecek (1-for-4) and Garrido (1-for-5) had remaining two hits, while Almonte (two runs and two walks) and Boykin (one run) also contributed in the game.

 

Fikar lead the way in hitting as he went 2-for-4 with a run.

 

Other Citrus Conference Scores:

Santa Fe (19-14, 10-8) split with Central Florida (19-15, 8-10 Citrus) to take the series winning game one 4-3 and losing game two 10-4.

 

Polk State (23-15, 11-7 Citrus) swept Daytona State (13-17, 5-13 Citrus) in their doubleheader 2-1 and 12-2 to sweep the series.

 

Seminole State College of Florida (19-15, 8-10 Citrus) split with RV Indian River State (23-9, 12-6 Citrus) winning game one 10-1 before losing game two 7-2.

 

Citrus Conference Standings:

1. RV Indian River State (23-9, 12-6)

2. Florida Southwestern (21-13, 12-6)

3. Polk State (23-15, 11-7)

4. Miami Dade (17-16, 11-7)

5. Santa Fe (19-14, 10-8)

6. SCF (20-14, 9-9)

7. Central Florida (19-15, 8-10)

8. Seminole State College of Florida (19-15, 8-10)

9. Hillsborough (19-16, 8-10)

10. Eastern Florida State (17-16-1, 8-10)

11. St. Pete (12-19, 6-12)

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

 

Up Next:

The Manatees will travel to Miami to take on Miami Dade (17-16, 11-7 Citrus) at the Kendall Campus Baseball Field Monday afternoon, March 25 at 4 pm.