LEESBURG, Fla. – Santa Fe Baseball picked up their 20th win of the season to complete the sweep of Lake-Sumter State College in the teams' first three-game Mid-Florida Conference series, coming back in the final inning for the 11-7 victory.

Neither team had a hit through the first three innings.

Santa Fe was the first to score in the top of the fourth, going ahead 4-0. Gabriel Esquivel started the frame with a walk, then advanced to third on a double from Santiago Garavito. An error from Lake-Sumter scored the first run, then the second scored on a sacrifice bunt from Zeb Marquis.

Wyatt Campbell's two-run homer capped off the big inning, and the Saints were in good position with the healthy lead.

Lance Bolton on the mound kept the Lakehawks hitless and scoreless through four innings, but the hosts were able to tie it at 4-4 in the fifth, also capitalizing on two Saints' miscues.

After Santa Fe took a 5-4 lead in the sixth on a two-out, pinch-hit RBI single from Xavier Moronta, the Lakehawks seized their first lead of the game with two more runs in the bottom of the inning. After an RBI single off Bolton, Jake Blair came out of the bullpen. A few batters later, another runner scored on a wild pitch and the batter at the plate was walked. Jacob Lauderdale came in for Blai, inheriting the bases loaded with one out.

Lauderdale got exactly what he wanted to minimize the damage, inducing a 4-6-3 double play to end the sixth, with SF trailing 6-5.

The deficit grew to 7-5 when Lake-Sumter when the Lakehawks manufactured an insurance run in the eighth.

It wasn't enough insurance, however, as SF put together a huge six-run rally with their backs against the wall in the ninth.

Campbell had an RBI single, forcing a pitching change. Luke Marquis pinch hit and laid down a sacrifice bunt to the second baseman to bring in the tying run at 7-7. SF took an 8-7 lead benefitting from an error, then Tyler Shelnut had an RBI single bring the score to 9-7.

Esquivel put the icing on the cake in the next at-bat, going yard with a 3-1 pitch to plate Shelnut and himself, making it 11-7.

The Lakehawks were able to bring runners to first and second base in their final at-bats, but Garfield Johns entered to record the final two outs and shut the door.  

Key Statistics

The offense continued to produce against the Lakehawks' pitching staff. The Saints were patient at the plate to the tune of a season-high 11 walks, and four of the eight hits went for extra-bases.

Campbell had the biggest day from the plate, finishing 3-of-3 with a double, his first home run of the season, three RBI, two runs scored, and two walks. Esquivel was 1-of-2 with two runs scored, two RBI with his team-leading 13th home run of the season, and four walks. The Marquis brothers each had RBI sacrifices, while Shelnut each added a RBI.

Lauderdale was the winning pitcher, improving to 2-0. He threw three innings in relief, allowing three hits, one unearned run, and a walk while striking out three. Johns picked up his first save of the season, ending the game with the K.

Up Next

Santa Fe (20-14, 8-5 MFC) is scheduled to host St. Johns River State College on Friday, Apr. 1 in a rescheduled game from a previous postponement. The Saints and Vikings will start at 3:00 p.m. on the SF Baseball Field.