May 7, 2021
No. 8 Baseball Advances Past Pensacola State, 10-0
Pensacola State College
1-2
0
Santa Fe College
2-1
10
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|
|
0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 0 |
LAKELAND, Fla. – No. 8 Santa Fe Baseball faced elimination for a second day in a row at the FCSAA State Tournament and passed the test in convincing fashion, cruising past Pensacola State College in a run-ruled, five-inning victory.
The Saints dictated play in all facets and jumped on the Pirates with some spectacular defensive plays and a productive batting order.
After Saints' starter Lance Bolton induced a timely 6-4-3 double play to end the top half of the inning, the Saints' bats took over with an electric half-inning.
BOTTOM 2ND - SF 7, PSC 0
With one baserunner on, Santiago Garavito turned on a pitch and found the barrel of the bat for a two-run home run, his third of the season.
Dylan Mock was walked and proceeded to steal second, when Jevin Relaford brought him around to score with a triple into left-center field.
After an Armando Albert walk, SF went ahead 4-0 with a well-executed sacrifice bunt from Jonathan Logsdon. The Pirates made a pitching change after another walk, but it didn't slow down SF. Xavier Moronta's fly ball to deep left was lost in the sun, and he wheeled his way around for a two-RBI triple.
Tyler Shelnut had the final RBI with a pop-up double that was once again misread by the Pensacola defense.
When the dust had settled and the third out was recorded after over 30 minutes of play, the Saints had batted around the order to tally the seven runs on four hits (all extra-base knocks) and three walks.
BOTTOM 4TH - SF 9, PSC 0
Bolton ended the Pirates' at-bats in the fourth with a strikeout, and Logsdon got the bats going again with a double.
In the next at-bat, Luis Rodriguez put the Saints ahead 9-0 with a shot to left-center field that easily cleared the wall. It was the third baseman's second home run of the tournament and 11th of his season.
BOTTOM 5TH - SF 10, PSC 0
Bolton set the Pirates down in order, and when the SF bats came around, Albert had the walkoff hit to plate Mock from second base with a single through the right side.
Key Statistics
Six of the Saints' eight hits were for extra-bases, and all ten runs were driven in.
Additionally, seven different players in the lineup produced RBI, led by two apiece from Rodriguez, Moronta, and Garavito.
Moronta finished 2-of-3 with two RBI and a run scored, while the two long balls from Garavito and Rodriguez did damage.
Bolton excelled for the complete game shutout in his five innings pitched, allowing just three hits with no walks and three strikeouts. The freshman from Jacksonville, Fla. improved to 4-0 with the win.
Wigg's Words
"Bolton just continues to give us quality starts. He pounded the zone with all of his pitches and really got comfortable after we got a big lead."
"I was so impressed with our guys' at-bats up and down the lineup. We got in some good counts and took advantage of it. I am really proud of how the team has battled after the Game 1 loss, and we look forward to the challenge again tomorrow."
Up Next
No. 8 Santa Fe (31-12) will face the winner of No. 20 Miami Dade and Northwest Florida State College on Saturday, May 8 at 4:00 p.m.
