MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry University’s baseball team dropped the Sunshine State Conference opener Friday night against the Florida Southern Mocs, 10-7, at Feinbloom field.
As has been the case most of the season, the No. 10 Bucs (14-4, 1-0 SSC) brought their sticks on this night. However, despite out-hitting the Mocs, Barry couldn’t muster up enough runs to keep pace.
Branden Shaw drilled a line-drive homer over the right field wall in the bottom of the first inning to put the Bucs on the board 1-0.
Florida Southern answered with a pair of runs in the top of the second, including a solo-shot of their own off the bat of Chris Dennis to take a 2-1 lead.
Trailing 3-2 in the fourth, Adrian English came to bat with the bases loaded and just one out. After falling behind in the count 0-2 with a questionable check-swing call, English worked a walk to push a run across and tie the game at three.
Tyler Kellman, who leads the Buccaneers with 20 runs batted in on the year, delivered a two-RBI single through the right side to plate J.C. Cardenas and Carlos Matamoros as the Bucs grabbed a 5-4 lead.
Bucs starter Billy Atkins (2-2) worked effectively through the first four innings, but ran into a jam in the top of the fifth and wasn’t able to escape.
The Mocs scored six runs in the inning and took a commanding 9-5 lead.
Barry scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within two, but the Mocs held the Buccaneer bats silent the rest of the way and closer Nate Carter struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to pick up his third save of the season.
English, Kellman, Greg Brodzinski and Matamoros each had multiple hits to pace the Bucs’ offense.
Tyler Petsch allowed just two unearned runs in 2.2 innings of work and right-hander Calvin Rayburn allowed just one run in 1.2 innings in relief.
Craig Savage (3-0) earned the win for the Mocs, pitching 2.1 innings in relief without allowing a run.
The Buccaneers and Mocs will play a double-header on Saturday beginning at 1 pm in the final two of a three-game set.
Live-stats and video broadcast coverage will be available through the Barry University athletics website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.