Box Score DeLand, Fla. ? Stetson starting pitcher Robby Donovan (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) threw seven complete innings and struck out nine batters Friday night to lead the Hatters to an 11-0 shutout of Iowa (1-3) in the first day of the Bright House Invitational.
Stetson (1-5) picked up season-highs in runs scored with 11 and base hits with 14 en route to its first victory of the season. Five Hatters produced two hits each in the game.
Stetson seemed to take out its early season offensive frustrations on Iowa in the first inning. Casey Frawley (New Haven, Ct.) led off with a walk and was forced out when Mark Jones (Palm Coast, Fla.) grounded into a double play opportunity. Jones moved to second on the play on an overthrow by the second baseman. Jeremy Cruz (Miami, Fla.) followed with an infield single moving Jones to third. Aaron Crittenden (Fort Myers, Fla.) singled scoring Jones for the first run and the flood gate was open. Freshman catcher Nick Rickles (Loxahatchee, Fla.) stepped in and delivered his 4th and 5th RBI of the season with a single up the middle. After three more singles by Frank Florio (Long Valley, NJ), Kyle Maulbetsch (St. Augustine, Fla.), and Jacob deGrom (DeLeon Springs, Fla.) the Hatters had a 5-0 lead after one.
Stetson was forced to improvise a new starting lineup after losing centerfielder Jeff Simpson to a shoulder injury Tuesday night at Bethune-Cookman. Simpson collided with the wooden outfield wall at Jackie Robinson Stadium and will likely be out for a few weeks while he heals. DeGrom saw his first action of the season starting at shortstop and playing very well. Frawley, the regular shortstop had to fill in for Simpson by playing centerfield and hitting leadoff, and Jones moved from the bottom of the order to bat second in Frawley's typical spot. For whatever reason, the changes sparked the Hatters.
Stetson scored two more runs in the third inning and then sealed the win by adding four in the eighth. With one out deGrom doubled down the left field line for his second hit. Frawley, who reached base four out of the five times he stepped in the box, drew a walk. Jones then picked up his second single to load the bases. Cruz beat out an infield single to knock in a run and Frawley scored on a balk by the pitcher. The final two runs were scored on a Crittenden RBI and a Rickles double down the left field line.
Donovan (1-0) allowed two hits and just one walk to go along with his nine strike outs. He nearly equaled his career-high of 10 strike outs against Holy Cross last season. Nick Bohne (Melbourne, Fla.) and Ian Thompson both threw an inning of relief, each picking up a pair of strike outs.
The Bright House Invitational will continue Saturday with South Alabama taking on Iowa at 1:00 p.m. and Stetson facing Southern Illinois at 7:00 p.m. Stetson fans can hear all the games on Hatter Vision found at www.gohatters.com. The voice of Hatters baseball Bill Topping will call the action. Tickets for all Stetson home games can be purchased on line at gohatters.com or at the gate on game day.
