Gainesville, FL - On Saturday, the Santa Fe Saints hosted Hillsborough Community College to take on the Hawks in a Citrus Conference doubleheader matchup. The Saints entered Saturday's matchup sitting in a tie with the College of Central Florida for fifth place in the conference while Hillsborough was in a tie for 10th place. The Saints won the first game 2-1 and the second game 6-5. The Saints record moves to 19-14 in the Citrus Conference and 31-20 overall.

How It Happened – Game 1

The Saints had strong defense all around and great pitching from Justin Jackson, who pitched the entire game. Jackson finished the game allowing five hits that turned into only one run for the Hillsborough Hawks. Jackson threw 92 pitches and had seven strikeouts with one walk.

The Saints batting started off hot with two hits in the second inning by Drake Harman and Landon Rogers putting them on base. Wyatt Campbell then came up to bat and recorded another hit allowing both of those players to score, giving him two RBIs. The Hawks responded with one run in the third that ended up being their only score of the game. After that run by the Hawks in the third inning, neither team scored for the rest of the game with great pitching and fielding from both teams.

The Saints finished Game 1 of the doubleheader with a 2-1 win over the Hawks while Grant Gallagher was walked twice, and Campbell recorded a big hit with two RBI's. Cory Filley also recorded a hit for the Saints.

How It Happened – Game 2

In the second game of the doubleheader, the pitching and fielding for both teams was not as strong, which led to more players on base and more runs being scored. Nick Davidson started on the mound for the Saints, pitching five innings while allowing three hits and two walks with one run scored. The relief pitcher, Colby Rice, came in at the beginning of the sixth inning and did not allow a hit, but had four walks which led to three runs being scored with the help of some Saints errors. Lucas Johns closed the last three innings of the game allowing two hits and one earned run.

The batting was better in this game compared to its game one counterpart with the Saints having six hits while the Hawks had five hits. The Saints started off hot with three runs scored in the first inning. The Saints built a four-run lead in the fifth and then held off the Hawk's late game charge for a 6-5 victory. The game was tied at five in the bottom of the eighth when Grant Gallagher sacrificed himself on a groundout to score one run. Lucas Johns earned the win for the Saints by throwing three strikeouts and no walks to end the game.

The Saints victory saw AJ Barrios and Gallagher each record one hit and two runs. Connor Fosnow, Filley, Harman, and Rogers all chipped in an RBI as well. The win gives the Saints the season series win against the Hawks. The win also puts the Saints in position to move up the Citrus Conference standings. The Saints record moves to 19-14 in the Citrus Conference and 31-20 overall and they await the FCSAA seeding call for when they will play next.

Up Next at Santa Fe

On Friday, May 3^rd,the Saints will play in the FCSAA Region VIII tournament but seeding will determine where and when so the Saints will wait for the seeding call.  More information to come as soon as the Saints position is determined.

Article by: Mosheven Mast

Graphic by: Mosheven Mast