DeLand, Fla. - Stetson parlayed 16 hits, a seven-run fourth inning, and a complete game by Will Dorsey into a 9-1 win over the University of South Florida Tuesday night at Melching Field. The #21 Hatters improved to 26-7 with their sixth consecutive victory. USF fell to 15-17 on the season.
Dorsey (Atlantic Beach, Fla.) tossed a nine inning gem for the home team. It was the first complete game of the season for any Stetson pitcher, as well as the first of his collegiate career. Over the nine innings he allowed just one run on eight hits and struck out four batters. Dorsey improved to 5-3 on the season while USF starter Nick Gonzalez (Tampa, Fla.) fell to 2-3.
The Bulls struck first with a run in the top of the second that was answered in the bottom half of the inning. Ben Carhart (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) led off with a single up the middle and then scored on an RBI double by Trey Blackman (Altamonte Springs, Fla.). Carhart was red hot at the plate with a 4-for-4 effort and Blackman had his best offensive game of the season going 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored.
The big inning for the Hatters came in the fourth when they put the game out of reach with seven runs. The key hits came off the bats of Mark Jones (Bunnell, Fla.) and Nick Rickles (Loxahatchee, Fla.), both of which left the park. With two outs and four runs already across Jones jumped on a 2-0 fastball and launched it over the wall in centerfield for two RBI. Rickles was next in the box and he followed with a solo bomb to left center, his team-leading fifth dinger of the season.
Six Hatters had multiple base hits in the game led by Carhart's four. Jones, Rickles, Blackman, Spencer Theisen (Longwood, Fla.) and Robert Crews (Port Charlotte, Fla.) each finished with two. Rickles extended his current hitting streak to 13 games.
The Hatters will return to Melching Field this weekend to host Savannah State Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Stetson fans can see the game on Hatter Vision at GoHatters.com with Bill Topping calling the action. Tickets for home games are available at the gate or can be purchased online at GoHatters.com or by calling 738-HATS.
