Box Score DeLand, Fla. ? Down 4-0 in the bottom of the 7th inning Mark Jones (Palm Coast, Fla.) delivered an opposite field blast over the right field wall to cut the Buccaneers' lead in half. It was his seventh home run of the season. The two runs, however, were all #3 Stetson (27-30) could muster as they fell 4-2 and were eliminated from the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament on the first day by #6 ETSU.
Stetson came into the game with a 10-3 all-time record against ETSU. The Hatters swept the three-game series earlier this season and held a 1-0 advantage in A-Sun Tournament play. A trio of errors early in tonight's game put an end to all those streaks.
The Bucs scored one run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth off starting pitcher Andy Mauldin (Gainesville, Fla.). All three runs were unearned. The senior righty pitched very well and deserved a better outcome in his final collegiate outing. For the game he allowed four runs on six hits, struck out seven batters and walked just one. He fell to 4-5 on the season.
In the top of the seventh ETSU tallied its first earned run on a single, a sacrifice bunt and another single. Robbie Powell (Punta Gorda, Fla.) pitched well in relief. He tossed 2.1 innings giving up one hit and striking out four. Ryan Sweat (DeBary, Fla.) threw the final one third of an inning to complete Stetson's season. He struck out the one batter he faced.
Along with Jones, Jacob deGrom (DeLeon Springs, Fla.) and Jeremy Cruz (Miami, Fla.), the A-Sun's Player of the Year, had two hits in the game. Together they totaled six of Stetson's seven total hits. Jeff Simpson (Valrico, Fla.) added the other.
It was a tough loss, and a difficult way for the Hatters to end their season. On the bright side, Stetson has two all-conference players and four members of the 2009 A-Sun All-Freshman Team returning next season; the future looks bright.
