Baseball Wins Third Straight, 7-4 over TNXL Academy

Baseball Wins Third Straight, 7-4 over TNXL Academy
March 4, 2021
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Santa Fe baseball won their third straight game on Thursday afternoon, topping visiting TNXL Academy by a 7-4 score. 
 
The two teams were meeting for the second time this season. Santa Fe also won the previous matchup with the Ducks in a tightly-contested, 11-inning game on January 23, 7-6 in the season's home-opener. 
 
Jonathan Logsdon cracked a double in the bottom of the first, then touched home following a single from Luis Rodriguez to hand the Saints a 1-0 lead.
 
The teams countered one another with a run apiece in the next three at-bats (two for TNXL, one for SF), and when the Ducks brought a run across in the top of the third, the score was knotted up at 2-2. 
 
The fourth, fifth, and sixth innings all went scoreless, as the pitching and defense were able to strand baserunners.
 
Santa Fe staked claim to a 4-2 lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Dylan Mock had a one-out double, and then the bases were loaded with back-to-back hit by pitches. 
 
Luke Marquis put SF in front 3-2 with an RBI single to plate Mock, and the fourth run came across on yet another hit batsmen. 
 
The Ducks responded in the eighth inning with two runs of their own, rallying with two-outs already recorded to tie it up at 4-4. 
 
The Saints manufactured three runs in their next at-bats to once again go in front, 7-4. Nick Hernon had a double, Tyler Shelnut had an RBI walk, and Luke Marquis drove in two with another timely single. 
 
Shelnut entered to pitch the ninth, and earned his fourth save by setting the Ducks down in order. The final out came via a routine 4-3 putout, extending the Saints' winning streak to three. 
 
Key Statistics
Eight different pitchers threw for Santa Fe, with Robb Adams throwing the first two innings before giving way to Lance Bolton in the third. Trent Becker, Michael Rodriguez, Garfield Johns, and Carson Pillsbury each tossed scoreless innings. Eduardo Yepes was credited with the win after appearing for the top of the eighth, and Shelnut preserved the win with a comfortable ninth frame. 
 
The Saints' bats totaled 13 hits, with 11 different players recording a hit. Logsdon and Luke Marquis were the two batters with multi-hit efforts recording two hits apiece. 
 
Logsdon finished 2-of-3 with a walk, double, HBP, and three runs scored, while Marquis was 2-of-2 with three RBI. SF had four extra-base hits, including doubles from Logsdon, Hernon, and Mock, while Gabriel Esquivel had a triple.  
 
Wiggs' Words
"It was good to get a lot of guys some work on the mound and the plate and still get the win," said Head Coach Johnny Wiggs. "Luke Marquis had two great at-bats with three RBI coming off the bench. The real season starts now with conference play, and we will need production from everybody to advance to the postseason. I'm excited to get started."
 
Up Next
Santa Fe (10-7) heads to Daytona State College for the Mid-Florida Conference opener on Saturday, March 6 at 1:00 p.m.