BRADENTON, Fla. – In Game 1 of the Bradenton Regional of the FCSAA/NJCAA South Atlantic District Baseball Championships, the host and receiving votes State College of Florida (34-23) held off No. 9 Santa Fe College Baseball (39-9) by a 4-3 score on Robert C. Wynn Field.

In a matchup of the Mid-Florida Conference Pitcher of the Year (Tobin Moran) and the Suncoast Conference Pitcher of the Year (Michael Forret), it was Forret that tossed a complete game to lift the Manatees to the victory in the season opener.

GAME-CHANGING PLAYS…

Runs were scored in just three innings in this one. SCF struck first in the bottom of the third frame, taking advantage of an error and a hit-by-pitch to put baserunners on before an out had been recorded. The Manatees proceeded to hit an RBI single to plate the opening tally before an RBI groundout tacked on one more.

The SF offense didn't wait long to take its first lead, however. In the top of the fourth, Drake Harman led off with a double, Hunter Keen followed him up with a single, and Josh Hogue put one into right field to drive in the first run.

Hogue was able to advance to second base on the throw, bringing up JP Herrholz with two runners in scoring position. The lefty crushed an 0-1 pitch to deep center field, and although it didn't clear the fence as it appeared to have a chance to off the bat, it scored two and put the Saints in front 3-2.

TOP 4TH - SF 3, SCF 2

Saints take the lead on an RBI single from Hogue, followed by a crushed 2-RBI double from Herrholz! Saints still threatening for more... pic.twitter.com/UBLdReGDrF

— Santa Fe Saints (@santafesaints) May 5, 2023

SCF would regain the lead for a final time in the bottom of the fifth inning. Moran had been effective at stranding baserunners through the first four innings, but the Manatees' strung together back-to-back, one-out RBI singles to go ahead 4-3, with Head Coach Johnny Wiggs then electing to put the rest of the game in the bullpen's hands.

Reliever Ryan Brown got an out before handing the ball to Chase Chappell, and Chappell earned a groundout to conclude the fifth…

Chappell was excellent the rest of the way and posted three straight zeros on the board, giving up just one hit while striking out five SCF hitters.

Forret found a way to post zeros down the stretch too, however. The right-hander finished off his heavy workload, complete game performance while keeping the Saints to three runs on five hits and two doubles for the game. When the SF hitters made quality contact, it often seemed to find an outfielder…

TEAM COMPARISON

The Manatees outhit the Saints, 8-5. Only one of SCF's hits went for extra-bases on a double, while SF had two doubles.

Two defensive errors hurt the Saints in this one, contributing to two unearned runs in Moran's first defeat of the season from the mound.

SCF was also able to steal two bases in the contest.

SF BATTING HIGHLIGHTS

JP Herrholz – 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI

Drake Harman – 1-4, 2B, R

Josh Hogue – 1-4, R, RBI

Hunter Keen – 1-4, R

Cory Filley – 1-3

SF PITCHING STATS

Tobin Moran (L, 8-1) – 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 K, BB

Ryan Brown – 0.1 IP

Chase Chappell – 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K

UP NEXT

No. 9 Santa Fe (39-9) will now have to win the final two games of the series to keep its postseason hopes alive.

Game 2 of the series is set for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 on Robert C. Wynn Field, with Game 3 scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. if the Saints can prevail Saturday.

If unable to attend, SCF is streaming the series live: State College of Florida - Home (stretchinternet.com)

Follow Santa Fe Saints on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or @sfsaintsbsb on Instagram for any in-game/postgame updates, with a postgame recap and statistics to come at santafesaints.com.