DeLand, Fla. - Junior Jacob deGrom (Palm Coast, Fla.) pitched well in the fourth start of his career and freshman James Rasmussen (Tallahassee, Fla.) delivered the game winning RBI in the 3rd inning to lead Stetson (14-14, 2-2 A-Sun) to a 7-2 win over Campbell (17-10, 4-6 A-Sun) Thursday night on Melching Field.
deGrom tossed 6 2/3 innings and gave up just four hits and one unearned run, while striking out six batters and walking three. He won his second game of the season against one loss. Rasmussen was 2-for-4 on the night with three RBI and two runs scored. Mark Jones (Palm Coast, Fla.) led the team with three hits in five at bats. He picked up a pair of runs batted in and smacked his fifth triple of the season.
"That was probably just the fourth start of Jacob's career outside of little league", said Stetson head coach Pete Dunn. "He just goes out there and throws strikes. He gave us a great quality start and we need that out of him. That is why we did what we did making him our Friday starter."
Stetson took an early lead with a run in the bottom of the 2nd on an RBI single by Nick Rickles (Loxahatchee, Fla.). It wasn't until the 4th inning, however, that the fireworks started for the Hatters. Ryan Lashley (Lake Worth, Fla.) and Rickles singled and Robert Crews (Port Charlotte, Fla.) walked. With the bases loaded and one out Kurt Schluter (Jupiter, Fla.) was called out on strikes after a check swing and an appeal to the first base umpire. Dunn, along with the hundreds of Hatters fans in the stands took exception to the call. It was Dunn, however, and not the fans that was ejected after a heated argument.
The argument seemed to provide a spark for the young Hatters squad. Next up was Rasmussen who jumped on a 1-1 pitch and ripped it to left center scoring Lashley and Rickles. Sean Emory (Miami, Fla.) followed with an RBI single to center field and Jones plated Rasmussen with a single through the left side of the infield. When the inning ended Stetson had a lead (5-0) that it would not relinquish.
"Rasmussen really came up big with some key hits and Jones had some key hits as well", said Dunn.
Other Hatter hitting heroes were Spencer Theisen (Longwood, Fla.) who was 2-for-3 with a run scored and Emory (2-for-4) who had multiple hits for the third straight game since stepping in for the injured Jeff Simpson (Valrico, Fla.)
David Burns (Seminole, Fla.) and Robbie Powell (Punta Gorda, Fla.) picked up for deGrom and finished the game on the mound. Burns pitched one inning allowing one run, and Powell hurled the final 1 1/3 giving up no hits and no runs while striking out one batter.
The Hatters return to Melching Field Friday for a doubleheader with Campbell beginning at 1:00 p.m. Stetson fans can catch the games on Hatter Vision by going to www.gohatters.com. The voice of Stetson baseball Bill Topping will call the action.
