No. 9 Baseball Holds Off SCF 5-4, Forces Game 3 in Bradenton
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
|
Santa Fe College
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 12 | 1 |
BRADENTON, Fla. – No. 9 Santa Fe College Baseball (40-9) scored its runs in the middle innings and held on to a lead to extend its postseason series with State College of Florida (34-24) to a decisive Game 3, holding off the Manatees in Game 2 by a 5-4 score.
The 40th win of the season was a nailbiter, and with the season on the line, the Saints prevailed to force Sunday play…
GAME-CHANGING PLAYS
SCF produced the game's first run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth frame, but the Saints quickly responded in the bottom half with three runs of its own to seize a 3-1 lead.
Zeth Rodriguez sparked the Saints with a solo home run down the left field line, igniting the SF dugout.
Bottom 4th - Zeth Rodriguez gets the Saints started with a no-doubter to left field! pic.twitter.com/HIn6WcDSVy
— Santa Fe Saints (@santafesaints) May 6, 2023
The momentum carried over to the next at-bat, when Grant Gallagher bunted, reached on an error, advanced to second on the same error, then moved to third base on a wild pitch. Jacob Guthrie's single scored him to put SF ahead 2-1, then Drake Harman had a two-out single to score Guthrie.
SF went ahead 4-1 on a JP Herrholz RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, but the Saints missed out on more runs with two stranded.
In the top of the sixth, the Manatees brought the score to 4-2 SF with a single run, driven in on a fielder's choice grounder to Gallagher at shortstop. The out helped limit the trouble however for the starter Corey Braun, as the Saints got a runner in scoring position caught between second and third base.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Saints came up with their fifth and final run of the game when Josh Hogue accounted for a timely two-out hit, scoring Cory Filley who had doubled to get the inning going.
Bottom 6th - SF 5, SCF 2
— Santa Fe Saints (@santafesaints) May 6, 2023
Hogue comes through with a two-out RBI single to score Filley, who got the inning going with a double down the right field line. pic.twitter.com/1UfClEi3ci
After a leadoff single in the top of the seventh frame from the Manatees, the Saints handed the ball to reliever Jacob Lauderdale, concluding Braun's quality outing. After a strikeout, stolen base, and wild pitch, SCF scored their third run on another sacrifice fly before Lauderdale induced a pop out for the inning's third out.
A bang-bang call at first base on a two-out grounder went against SF in the bottom of the seventh, keeping SCF unscathed after a scoring threat from the Saints.
The SF lead was trimmed to just one, 5-4 in the eighth on a wild pitch and close play at the plate, but once again, Lauderdale navigated the trouble to maintain the SF lead.
After SF was unable to add any insurance runs, Lauderdale took the mound once again for the ninth. After a leadoff walk, the right-hander retired the next two hitters to put the Saints one out away…
Things got much nervier after consecutive walks loaded the bases, but Lauderdale regained composure and got ahead in the count to the cleanup hitter Lucas Ismaili. The count was 2-2 when Ismaili connected with a fly ball to left field, but Hogue settled underneath it and squeezed it safely to the glove to put the finishing touches on the Saints' victory.
The Saints are playing Sunday!
— Santa Fe Saints (@santafesaints) May 6, 2023
FINAL - SF 5, SCF 4 pic.twitter.com/oZStun0xlz
TEAM COMPARISON
The Saints had 12 hits to six for SCF. Each team had two doubles, while Rodriguez's homer was the first of the series for either side.
Two errors were committed by the Manatees, while SF had just one.
SCF stole eight bases to just one for SF, but the Saints did well to strand nine SCF baserunners. The Saints were on the basepaths all day, leaving ten.
SF BATTING HIGHLIGHTS
Zeth Rodriguez – 3-4, HR
Hunter Keen – 2-3, 2B, 2 BB, R
Josh Hogue – 3-4, RBI
Cory Filley – 1-4, 2B, R
Jacob Guthrie/JP HerrholzDrake Harman – Single and RBI apiece…
Grant Gallagher – 2 BB, R
SF PITCHING STATS
Corey Braun (W, 7-1) – 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 3 ER, 6 K
Jacob Lauderdale (SV, 4) – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 4 BB, 1 ER, 1 K
A proud skipper postgame, as the Saints push the series the distance and keep the season alive with the 5-4 outcome over SCF today! #SicEmSaints pic.twitter.com/Qt3ffGsoyD
— Santa Fe Saints (@santafesaints) May 6, 2023
UP NEXT
No. 9 Santa Fe (40-9) will be on Robert C. Wynn Field for Game 3 on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The winner will advance to Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. to play in a four-team, double-elimination bracket for an FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 title May 12 - May 15. For more details, visit: FCSAA Division I/NJCAA South Atlantic District Baseball Championships - NJCAA Region 8 - NJCAA Region 8 (thefcsaasports.com)
If unable to attend Sunday, SCF is streaming the game 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.
