DeLand, Fla. - Junior Jeff Simpson (Valrico, Fla.) had another good night at the plate picking up a pair of hits and scoring a key run yet it wasn't enough to propel the Hatters (3-8) past the visiting Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (5-4). Stetson (3-8) fell by a score of 4-2 Sunday evening in the final game of the Bright House Invitational on Melching Field.
Simpson has two hits in each of the last five games and is currently on a six-game hitting streak. He has boosted his season average to a team-leading .455 (15-for-33).
Sophomore Spencer Theisen (Longwood, Fla.) and Mark Jones (Palm Coast, Fla.) also tallied two hits for the home team. Theisen was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Jones finished 2-for-4.
Down 3-0 in the bottom of the 6th the Hatters rallied for two runs to make the game close. Theisen and Simpson led off with back-to-back singles. Ryan Lashley (Lake Worth, Fla.) moved the runners over on a ground out to 3rd base and then both runners scored when Aaron Crittenden (Fort Myers, Fla.) reached base on a fielding error by the second baseman. He was credited with one RBI on the play.
Notre Dame added an insurance run in the final inning to seal the win.
Stetson starter Kyle Maulbetsch (Jacksonville, Fla.) had a solid outing hurling five complete innings, giving up three runs and striking out four batters. Freshman Kurt Schluter (Jupiter, Fla.) tossed three innings, struck out two and gave up one run. Jacob deGrom (DeLeon Springs, Fla.) entered in the 9th inning and finished the game with a clean slate.
Next up for the Hatters is a home game against James Madison on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. on Melching Field. Hatters fans can catch the Stetson game on Hatter Vision by going to www.gohatters.com. The voice of Stetson baseball Bill Topping will call the action.
