Box Score ST. AUGUSTINE – Flagler College erupted for nine runs in the first two innings, but had to hold on for a 9-7 victory over Florida Southern College on “Ashley Daniel Remembrance Night” Wednesday (May 1) evening at Drysdale Field.

Flagler won its eighth game in a row and improved to 23-22 overall. Florida Southern lost its third game in a row and fell to 16-24.

Flagler scored a couple of runs in the first inning, but exploded for seven runs on six hits and sent 11 men to the plate in the second inning to take a commanding 9-1 lead. Brett Moreland hit a two-run double to right-center and was part of a string of four consecutive Flagler at bats which had RBI hits. Tyler Vanover had the biggest hit of the inning, an RBI-triple to give the Saints an 8-1 lead.

Flagler would need every single one of those runs as it was held scoreless with two hits for the remainder of the game by the Florida Southern bullpen.

The Moccasins plated two runs in the third, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth to close to 9-6. Colin Kish belted a two-out solo home run in the seventh and all of a sudden Florida Southern trailed by just two runs.

After an uneventful eighth, the Mocs had runners at first and second with just one out. Conor Szczerba, who led off the inning with a single, was thrown out trying to steal third base. Flagler's fifth pitcher of the game, Mike O'Reilly, struck out Austin Barnett to end the game.

Justin Ratte (4-4) worked three innings in relief, scattered seven hits and allowed two earned runs to pick up the win. He fanned three batters. O'Reilly tossed the final two-thirds of an inning and struck out one to earn his third save of the season.

Moreland, playing in his final home game at Flagler, went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs batted in and two runs scored. Jay Laurienzo singled, doubled, scored two runs and knocked in two more in his final home game.

Florida Southern pounded out 18 hits and each field player, except one, had at least one hit. Kyle Gibbs collected three singles and scored two runs while Szczerba went 3-for-5 with a double, one RBI and he scored a run. Kish went 3-for-5 with a double and the home run.

Ben Richardson (1-1) tossed 1 1/3 innings, allowed eight hits and eight earned runs in picking up the loss.

Flagler closes outs its regular season this weekend with a Peach Belt Conference series at Augusta State University. The two teams will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.

NOTE: Ashley Daniel was a close friend of the Flagler Athletics Department. She lost her battle with breast cancer in 2011.

Flagler 9, Florida Southern 7 (May 01, 2013 at St. Augustine, Fla.)
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Florida Southern.... 012 012 100  -  7 18  3      (16-24)
Flagler............. 270 000 00X  -  9 10  0      (23-22)
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Battery: Florida Southern - Ben Richardson; Austin Jackson(2); Steven Burnham(7) and Brad Carlton; Joey Miller(3). Flagler - Jake Wiesler; Justin Ratte(4); Danny Brown(7); Beau Beaudreau(9); Mike O'Reilly(9) and Chace Mitchell.
Win-Justin Ratte(4-4)  Save-Mike O'Reilly(3)  Loss-Ben Richardson(1-1)  T-2:31  A-79
2B FSC – Conor Szczerba; Colin Kish; Joey Miller.
2B FLG – Brett Moreland 2; Jay Laurienzo; Chace Mitchell.
3B FLG – Tyler Vanover.
HR FSC - Colin Kish (1).
Weather: 72; cloudy; w: 20 mph l-r
Brown faced 1 batter in the 9th.