GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Santa Fe baseball made it twelve wins in their last 13 games on Saturday afternoon, beating visiting Lake-Sumter State College 5-3 in the second game of the Mid-Florida Conference series.

Prior to the game, Head Coach Johnny Wiggs and the Saints honored the returning members of the 2016 Santa Fe Baseball team, which won a school record 42 games.

The 2016 Saints finished the year with a record of 42-10 overall and 19-4 in conference, going on to win the Mid-Florida Conference Championship and the FCSAA State Championship. The first pitch was thrown out by Troy Bacon, the program's all-time leader in saves (23) and career earned-run-average (1.29) who is currently playing in the Atlanta Braves organization.

In Saturday's game, Santa Fe countered Lake-Sumter's run in the top of the first inning with a run of their own in the bottom half, as Luis Rodriguez doubled to bring in Jevin Relaford.

The Saints went ahead for the first time, 2-1, in the bottom of the third. Relaford doubled to lead off, and then came around to score once again following a single from Jonathan Logsdon.

In the bottom of the fifth, SF went ahead 3-1 on another run from Relaford, who touched home after a sacrifice fly from Gabriel Esquivel.

The lead was extended to 5-1 with two more tallies in the seventh. Relaford had his fourth run of the game after an RBI single from Esquivel, and Dylan Mock scored Logsdon with an RBI single of his own.

The Lakehawks were able to cut their deficit in half with two runs in the eighth, but Tyler Shelnut stranded two baserunners with a swinging strikeout.

Shelnut issued a two-out walk in the top of the ninth but induced a ground out in the next at-bat to preserve the Saints' 19th win of the season.

Key Statistics

Eight different players in the SF lineup contributed to the Saints' ten hits.

Relaford had a triple and a double to go along with a walk, his four runs scored, and two stolen bases. Luke Marquis went 2-of-4, while four different Saints had RBI: Esquivel (2), Logsdon (1), Rodriguez (1), and Mock (1).

Starting pitcher Robb Adams earned the win, allowing just six hits, two walks, and one earned run in six innings. Adams struck out five Lakehawks on his way to his fifth win of the season.

Shelnut's save was his eighth of the season, as he continues to lead the NJCAA Division I in the category.

Wiggs' Words

"It was so great to have some of our 2016 team back today," said Head Coach Johnny Wiggs. "It brings back so many memories of the conference and state championship year."

"Today's game was a grind, but we got it done. Robb Adams didn't have his best stuff today but gave us six great innings, and Shelnut continues to do the job for us late. We played four different guys in the lineup from the day before, and it is great to have so much depth and so many guys contributing."

Up Next

Santa Fe (19-8, 9-1 MFC) continues to sit atop the Mid-Florida Conference standings, and will next play on Sunday, March 21 at Daytona State College. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.