Tallahassee, Fla. – Stetson found the going rough in the first of two games at Dick Howser Stadium on Tuesday in a 4-0 loss to Florida State.
The Hatters managed just one hit in the game offensively, a fifth inning single from
Andrew MacNeil, while a trio of Stetson pitchers walked 10 Seminoles and hit two more. The Stetson defense also struggled, failing on three chances to turn double plays in the game.
Stetson falls to 28-9 overall with the loss. The Hatters are now 3-6 in games away from Melching Field. FSU snapped a five-game losing skid in the win, improving to 25-12 overall.
Hatters starter
Joey Gonzalez (6-3) held the Seminoles at bay through the first four innings despite walking two batters and hitting another. FSU broke up the scoreless game in the fifth when Steven Walls blasted a solo home run to left.
From there things got rough for the Stetson junior. A walk was followed by a fielder's choice that could have easily been an inning-ending double play. From there, three more walks forced in a second run before
Mike Spooner rescued the Hatters from further damage with a sliding catch of a sinking liner to end the inning.
MacNeil's one-out single in the fifth off FSU starter Andrew Karp (6-3) was followed by a hit batter, giving the Hatters their only scoring opportunity in the game. Karp was able to get out the inning without damage by getting a foul pop and a strikeout, one of his nine Ks in five innings of work.
FSU got more help from the Hatters in the sixth, scoring two insurance runs off reliever
Vlad Nunez who hit a batter and walked two others before throwing a pair of wild pitches to score a run. He gave way to sophomore
Austin Bogart, who got a ground ball that, once again, should have been turned for a double play, but a low throw to first prevented that and allowed another run to score.
FSU reliever C.J. Van Eyk came on to pitch the sixth inning and worked four perfect frames for his second save of the year. Bogart worked the final two innings for the Hatters, posting three strikeouts.
FSU managed just four hits in the game and left 12 runners on base. Wells had two hits for the Seminoles and scored two runs.
The teams will get together again on Wednesday with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.
