Box Score DeLand, Fla. ? The Stetson baseball team fell behind early Sunday to the #6 ranked Tigers. Although the Hatters came on strong and scored some runs late in the game, they fell short 9-5.
Missouri opened the scoring in the top of the second with five runs on two hits and one Hatter error. The big hit of the inning was a single to center field by Ryan Lollis (Houston, Tx.) scoring Steve Gray (Boise, Id.) and Greg Folglia (North Wales, Pa.). The Stetson error was a miscue by second baseman Sean Emory (Miami, Fla.) which eventually allowed two unearned runs to score in the inning.
Although the Stetson defense was a little shaky over the opening weekend (seven errors in three games), the offense (26 hits in three days) showed why it should become a force over the course of the season. The Hatters answered back in the bottom of the second inning with a pair of runs. Senior Justin Bass (DeLand, Fla.) started the attack with a sharp single through the left side of the infield and fellow senior Josh Clendenin followed with a home run over the left center field wall.
The score remained 5-2 until the 5th when Missouri's Jacob Priday (Sikeston, Mo.) led off the inning with a home run to left center. Gray then reached base on another error at second base and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Lee Fischer (Orland Park, Ill.). Kurt Calvert (Wildwood, Mo.) completed the four-run inning with a double knocking in two unearned runs. In all, four of Missouri's nine runs were unearned.
After two scoreless innings Stetson turned up its offense but it wasn't quite enough. In the 8th the Hatters put together a Jeremy Cruz (Miami, Fla.) single, an Aaron Crittenden (Fort Myers, Fla.) single, and walks to Bass and Clendenin for their third run of the game. In the Stetson 9th Crittenden hit an RBI double down the right field line scoring Jacob deGrom (DeLeon Springs) who walked and then scored when Clendenin singled to right field. Those were the final runs of the game.
Offensively for the Hatters Cruz and Crittenden were each 3-for-5 on the night with Crittenden picking up one RBI. The freshman deGrom had a solid game going 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Bass and Clendenin were also 2-for-4 at the plate. After the opening weekend Crittenden leads the team in hitting at .545 (6-for-11) followed by Cruz at .500 (6-for-12).
Sophomore Robbie Donovan (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) took the loss for Stetson pitching 4.1 innings and giving up eight runs, five of which were earned. He also picked up five strike outs in the game. Junior Drew Jackson (Keystone Heights, Fla.), freshman Travis Stortz (Safety Harbor, Fla.), and junior Andy Mauldin (Jacksonville, Fla.) combined for 4.2 innings of relief giving up no earned runs, and striking out four batters.
With the loss Stetson dropped to 1-2 on the season. Missouri raised its record to 3-0. The Hatters return to the field Wednesday at Kennesaw State for a double header A-Sun opener against the Owls. Fans can hear all the action at gohatters.com. Play-by-play will be provided by the voice of Stetson baseball, Bill Topping.
