FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-22-04

College Baseball: No. 15 Florida Southern 7, No. 4 AASU 6

SAVANNAH, Ga. – No. 15-ranked Florida Southern plated three unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning to come from behind and record a 7-6 victory over No. 4-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State in the final game of the 2004 Diamond Classic on Sunday afternoon in Savannah.

The Pirates (9-2) took a 6-4 lead into the top of the ninth inning against the Mocs (7-6-1) and reliever Josh Tallent got the first out of the inning by inducing a ground out to third by Jeff Howell. FSC shortstop Kyle Kelley singled to right field on an 0-2 pitch to start the Moc rally. Gil Martinez hit a sharp ground ball to third base and Pirate third baseman Steven Kinney threw to second base to try and get the lead runner, but the throw popped out of the glove of second baseman Rob Recuenco. After Matt Mercurio flew out to right field, Geoff Strickland singled to center field, driving in Kelley and bringing in a run. AASU reliever Zach Shelnutt came in and allowed a double by Matt Joyce that scored the tying and go-ahead runs. Tallent (0-1) allowed three unearned runs in 3 1/3 innings pitched, giving up three hits to take the loss. Al Simontis (1-1) picked up the win and Ryan Cahalan earned the save by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

AASU took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning on RBI singles by Michael Pelley and George Fletcher, plus an errant throw by catcher Josh Howell that allowed Rob Recuenco to score. Florida Southern began its rally with two in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Martinez and a bases-loaded walk by Strickland, then got two more in the sixth on a two-RBI double by Howell that tied the score at 4-all. AASU plated single runs in the seventh, on an RBI single by Brandon McKinnon, and in the eighth, on a Recuenco RBI single, that gave the Pirates their 6-4 lead heading into the ninth.

Fletcher finished the day with two hits and two RBI to lead the Pirates offensively, while Kelley led the Mocs with two hits and two runs scored.

AASU returns to action on Friday, February 27, as the Pirates host Queens (N.Y.) College at 2:00 p.m. at Pirate Field.

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