GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 7 Santa Fe College Baseball (37-7, 13-7 MFC) secured its place in the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 State Tournament with another walk-off win, 5-4 over visiting Daytona State College.

The Saints will be the No. 2-seed from the Mid-Florida Conference for postseason play and will play a three-game series at the Suncoast Conference Champion (State College of Florida or Polk State College) from May 5 – May 7. May 8 will serve as the rain date in the series, with the winner advancing to the double-elimination Championship Round from May 12 – May 15 at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla.

GAME-CHANGING PLAYS…

On Friday, Santa Fe took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Hunter Keen connected for his first home run in his two-year career with the Saints.

The game was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh frame when JP Herrholz drove in Jahlani Rogers with a single to put SF ahead 4-3.

After Daytona State tied the game in the top of the eighth, history repeated itself in the bottom of the ninth when another Herrholz single scored Rogers, this time to walk it off.

Herrholz took the full count pitch to center field, and Rogers had a great jump at first base and used his speed to motor all the way around to produce the winning run.

TEAM COMPARISON

The Saints had 11 hits, while Daytona State finished with nine.

SF overcame an uncharacteristic six errors defensively.

Keen's home run was the only long ball in the game.

SF BATTING HIGHLIGHTS

Drake Harman – 3-4, 2 2B, R, 2 SB (including a steal of home)

Hunter Keen – 2-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, R

JP Herrholz – 2-5, 2 RBI

Landon Rogers – 1-2, 2B

Cory Filley – 1-3, BB, R

SF PITCHING STATS

Corey Braun – No-decision, 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Jacob Lauderdale (W, 6-1) – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

UP NEXT

No. 7 Santa Fe (37-7, 13-7 MFC) will no longer play at Seminole State College on Sunday, Apr. 23, meaning there are now just three games left for the remainder of the regular season. SF heads to Daytona State College to conclude their season series on Saturday, starting at 1:00 p.m.