FLORENCE, AL - Senior Anthony DeFabbia dominated on Friday night, striking out eight North Alabama batters to help lead the Stetson Hatters past the Lions 8-4. Yohann Dessureault and Logan Hughes both went long in the winning effort, the former of the two was his ninth of the season. Stetson out-hit the Lions at an 11-4 clip while stealing five bases as a team. The win marked their 8th straight win over the Lions and put an end to a two-game skid.
In addition to his eight strikeouts, DeFabbia, now 7-1, went 5.2 innings, giving up three earned runs on two hits while walking five for Stetson. Freshman Zane Coppersmith also made an impact on the mound for the Hatters, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings while allowing one hit, with no walks and four strikeouts to earn the save. As a staff, Stetson pitchers faced 37 North Alabama batters in the game, forcing five ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out 12.
Offensively, the Hatters were led by the freshman Hughes, who went 1-for-4 on the day with a home run, a walk and three RBIs. Dessureault compiled a standout performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Freshman Kyle Jones put together three hits in four trips to the plate while adding a double and a walk as he now extends his on-base streak to 25 straight games.
The Hatters got on the scoreboard first, starting in the fourth inning. Stetson plated two runs when Dessureault left the yard with sophomore Landon Moran aboard.
The Hatters then held the Lions scoreless before getting back on the board the very next inning. The Stetson offense exploded for four runs, highlighted by a three-run home run off the bat of Hughes, which brought the score to 6-0 in favor of the Hatters.
North Alabama narrowed Stetson's lead to 6-4 before the Hatters stretched the advantage to 7-4 in the eighth inning. The Hatters scored once on an RBI single off the bat of junior Gio Cueto.
Stetson held the Lions without a run before their offense got things rolling the next inning. Hughes crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for the Hatters, bringing the Stetson advantage to 8-4.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.
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