GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Santa Fe Baseball fell by a 5-4 score to Lake=Sumter State College in Game 1 of the series. 

SF started their at-bats with a triple from Jevin Relaford then an RBI double from Gabriel Esquivel to go ahead 1-0 in the first frame.

Lake-Sumter tied it up at a run apiece in the top of the second inning, producing a two-out, RBI single off starter Mitchell Gross.

The game remained tied all the way until the bottom of the fifth, as Gross and Caden Kresak, a pitcher from local Buchholz High School, found themselves in a pitcher's duel.

In the home half of the fifth, SF regained the lead. Zeb Marquis reached on an error, and took second base on the same error. The speedy center fielder proceeded to steal third base and scored on an RBI single from Hunter Keen through the gap between second and first base to make it 2-1.

LSSC scored two runs in the top of the sixth to take their first lead of the game, 3-2. A leadoff single was followed up by an RBI double into the gap in the outfield, tying the game at 2-2. Back-to-back errors from the Saints scored the go-ahead run, but Trent Becker came in out of the bullpen and ended the inning with an induced 6-4-3 double play.

It didn't take long for SF to take the lead right back, as a two-out double from Xavier Moronta started the rally. After Bret Madren was hit by a pitch, Jake McKee came through with a timely double to clear the bases and put the Saints in front 4-3.

In the top of the seventh, Becker was relieved by Wyatt Campbell after consecutive walks, and then the bases were loaded with yet another free pass. After a fielder's choice earned a force-out at home plate, Lake-Sumter had an RBI single tie the ball game at 4-4. Once again, however, a turned double-play ended the inning and helped SF avoid any further damage, and this time it went 4-6-3.

Santa Fe nearly took another lead in the bottom of the seventh, but Relaford was called tagged out on a fielder's choice at home plate.

The Lakehawks seized the 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth off Campbell, once again coming through with an RBI single.

The tying run moved to second base in the bottom of the eighth for Santa Fe, but that was the closest they would get the rest of the way, as the Saints were set down in order in the ninth in the defeat.

Key Statistics

Gross had the no-decision in the 6.1 inning start, allowing 10 hits, and three runs, one of which was unearned. He had one K before handing the ball off to Becker. Becker got two outs before handing the ball off to Campbell for the final three innings. Campbell (0-2) was charged with the loss with one earned run over the final nine outs.

Relaford, Esquivel, and Moronta had multi-hit efforts, and McKee led the team with two RBI. Esquivel had two doubles, and Relaford's leadoff triple to start the Saints' at-bats extended his hitting streak to seven games.

Up Next

Santa Fe (26-23, 14-14 MFC) will aim to finish strongly in the regular season's final two games with the Lakehawks. Game 2 will be in Leesburg on Monday, April 25 at 3:00 p.m., before Game 3 on Wednesday, Apr. 27 at 3:00 p.m. on the SF Baseball Field.