
March 19, 2021
Baseball Comes Out on Top, 8-1 at Lake-Sumter State College
LEESBURG, Fla. – Santa Fe baseball won their 11th game in their last 12 outings on Friday afternoon, prevailing at Lake-Sumter State College by an 8-1 score.
It was Game 1 of the three-game series with the Lakehawks, and the Saints earned the victory with a great start from pitcher Mitchell Gross and a lineup that produced 17 hits.
The Saints scored a run in the first inning after a single from Luis Rodriguez scored Nick Herndon, and Herndon had an RBI double in the second to bring the score to 2-0.
After Lake-Sumter cut their deficit in half with a run in the bottom of the third inning, Santa Fe went in front 4-1 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Herndon and a Lakehawks error that brought home a run.
One more insurance run was added in the seventh on a Jevin Relaford RBI single, and three more runs were tacked on in the ninth to establish a comfortable lead headed into Lake-Sumter's final at-bats. The Saints' ninth inning was highlighted by an RBI single from Dylan Mock and a two-RBI double from Santiago Garavito.
Key Statistics
It was the 17th game this season that SF has had double-digit hits, and the fifth straight.
Gross earned his fourth win of the season, allowing just four hits and one unearned run in seven innings pitched. He struck out six batters. Eduardo Yepes threw in the eighth and ninth frames, keeping the Lakehawks off the scoreboard with just one walk, no hits, and two strikeouts.
The lineup was balanced throughout the game for the Saints, with nine different players recording hits and six different players having a multi-hit day.
Herndon led off and went 3-of-5 with two RBI, a double, a run scored, and two stolen bases. Gabriel Esquivel had three singles and a run scored, while Garavito finished 2-of-5 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored. Jonathan Logsdon was on the basepaths on four occasions, going 2-of-3 with a run scored and two walks.
Wiggs' Words
"Gross gave us a great start again and the guys really swung the bat well," said Head Coach Johnny Wiggs. "We got production up and down the lineup. I have always thought our depth offensively would be an advantage for us. Now back to work tomorrow."
Up Next
Santa Fe (18-8, 8-1 MFC) turns right back around on Saturday, March 20 when it hosts Lake-Sumter at 1:00 p.m. Returning members of the 2016 FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Championship team will be honored prior to the game with the Lakehawks.