GREENWOOD, S.C. – Flagler College almost completed a rally from an 8-0 deficit, but came up short in a 13-8 loss to Lander University in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Friday night at Stephen B. Dolny Stadium.
Lander improved to 19-17 overall and 9-7 in the Peach Belt. Flagler is now 16-20 overall and 9-7 in conference play.
The Saints trailed 8-0 with only three hits through the first five innings.
Mason Gray,
Myles Colangelo and
Ashton Thomas strung together three consecutive singles to start the top of the sixth.
John Fiorenza reached on an error and two scored to get Flagler on the board. Later,
Trey Newland hit a two-run single and Gray, who led off the inning, singled to center to score Newland from second. Newland had stolen second base just before Gray's hit.
But Lander answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the sixth to expand the lead to 10-7.
Ethan Wilder hit a two-run triple in the seventh to give the Bearcats a 12-8 lead, and then scored on Tyler Prell's infield single.
Anson Merrick (3-2) weathered the onslaught and pocketed the win. He allowed five runs, three of which were earned, on seven hits in five-plus innings.
Wilder paced the 14-hit attack going 3-for-5 with a triple, four runs batted in and he scored two runs. Prell went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, six RBI and two runs scored.
Seth Wysocki (3-3) gave up three runs on two hits in 1 2/3 innings of work and took the loss.
Dylan Faulkner,
Steven Reiss,
Davian Garcia and
Brad Vondruska pitched in relief.
Gray finished with a pair of singles, a run scored and one more driven in.
Luke Welborn went 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI and he scored a run.
Jaiden Warde collected two singles, scored a run and he knocked in a run.
The same two teams meet tomorrow at 2 p.m.
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