When sophomore Austin Hale stepped to the plate in the sixth inning Friday night at Melching Field with the Stetson Hatters in a 4-4 game against visiting Maine, he knew what his record was at the plate this year with runners in scoring position.

Hale entered the game 1-for-15 on the year with runners in scoring position, and was 0-for-2 in the game with a chance to drive in runs. His previous at bat, in the fourth inning, ended with a called third strike against Maine starting pitcher Jonah Normandeau, but he was determined to not let that happen again.

After quickly falling behind 1-2 in the count, Hale got the pitch he was looking for a ripped a single through the left side of the infield, driving home Jack Machonis with the go-ahead run in a game the Hatters went on to win 6-4.

Stetson improved to 8-7 on the year with the victory while dropping the Black Bears to 4-9. The teams will be back at Melching Field Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. for the second game of their scheduled three-game series.

“That was a big one for me,” Hale said. “After the called third strike the previous at bat, on a pitch I should have swung at, I wasn't going to let that guy beat me a second time. I was surprised when he didn't throw me another slider like that. All of my at bats against the right hander, he was challenging me inside and I was pretty late on them. I knew he would go back inside after I was late on the breaking ball, and I was able to turn on it.

“It was a clutch hit and it was one that I needed. I have been struggling with runners in scoring position, so it was huge to get the runner in from third for the go-ahead run there. It was awesome when I got back to the dugout. The guys were all cheering for me. My job is to be good behind the plate, but it is awesome to get those runs in like that.”

Hatters coach Pete Dunn said he was thinking about calling for squeeze bunt with just one out in the inning.

“If we had gotten to 2-1 in the count instead of 1-2, I was going to call for the squeeze,” Dunn said. “He is a good bunter and I felt like we could stay out of the double play that way. When he got to 1-2, we couldn't execute the squeeze, but he hung in there, battled and put the ball in play. It was an outstanding at bat for him because the at bat he had before that one he took a called third strike with runners in scoring position.”

Hale's hit, and a sacrifice fly later in the inning by Matt Morales to score Vance Vizcaino, gave the Hatters the cushion they needed. Senior Josh Thorne (2-0) earned his second win of the week, and was followed by Joey Gonzalez and Walker Sheller, who earned his fourth save, in relief of starter Mitchell Jordan.

“Mitch wasn't at his best tonight but the thing was that we jumped out to a lead and, when they scored, we answered,” Dunn said. “That is a big part of the game. They got pumped up because they came back to tie the game, but we took the lead right back. We did a lot of good things tonight.

“Thorne did a nice job and then Sheller came in and slammed the door. Thorny has given us two good outings back-to-back and that is what we need out of him.”

The Hatters jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the game, scoring one in the second inning and two more in the third off Normandeau (0-1). Colton Lightner doubled home Vizcaino, who had three hits in the game, for the first run, and then John Fussell and Will Mackenzie had consecutive two out hits in the third to score two more.

“We got the hitters together before the game to talk about some things,” Dunn said. “It is just basic baseball. They get upset with me sometimes when I have them taking pitches, but I told them that I will give them more leeway to swing the bat if they will prove to me that they have more bat discipline. They did a great job with that tonight. We put 11 hits on the board and played good defense. Was it was as good as we can play? No. But I believe it is a start.”

Jordan held the Bears hitless through the first three innings, posting five strikeouts, but gave up three straight hits to open the fourth, eventually allowing two runs to score. Stetson answered when Vizcaino singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Koos in the bottom of the inning, but Maine got solo home runs from Brendon Geary and Brett Chappell in the fifth and sixth to tie the game.

“It was about location with Mitchell tonight,” Dunn said. “His velocity was good, but his breaking ball was up and they squared up a couple of them. He pitched behind in the count too much, but he battled through it. Pitchers are going to get into situations where they don't have their best stuff or their location, but he battled and kept us in the game until we went to the bullpen. He didn't give up a big crooked number and let it get out of hand and that is the sign of a really good starting pitcher.”

After the pregame meeting for the hitters, every starter except Cory Reid had at least one hit in the game for Stetson. Reid, who is still battling shoulder and wrist injuries, has continued to play, despite the pain.

“Cory Reid is no where close to being healthy with his hand, but he wants to be in there and we need him in there,” Dunn said. “I kept thinking that he was going to run into one tonight, but he is going to be in the lineup until he tells me he can't go. We are hoping that he can start throwing again next week and I hope to be able to get him back in there at third base.”

Overall, Dunn was as satisfied with his teams' play as he has been all year.