Leesburg, Fla. – The Lake-Sumter State College baseball program opened up their 2019 season this past weekend and ended it with a 1-2 record out of the gate.
First pitch Friday took place at 2 pm against the Polk State Eagles, a nationally ranked team a year ago. Robbie Scott wasted no time getting his team on the board with a first inning bomb over the left field fence. It would be the only run the Lakehawks would score until the sixth when Brody Rubenstein came in on an error. Polk State managed 10 runs on 14 hits over nine innings to come away with the 10-2 victory over LSSC. Cameron Recny was tagged with the loss in his first appearance of the season.
Saturday, the Lakehawks played host to Northwest Florida State for a two game set. The Raiders managed two runs in the top of the first and then one in the third for a 3-0 lead. LSSC was able to bring one run across in the bottom of the third, fourth and then again in the fifth. Jarrett Backus, Kobie Leonard and Seth Martin provided the run support for their pitcher to knot the game up 3-3. Still tied heading into the bottom of the seventh, Scott led off the inning with a single into right field. Alan Alonso knocked a base hit through the left side to bring up Martin with the winning run on second. Martin stepped up and drove a shot into left field bringing around Scott from second for the 4-3 walk-off victory. Trey Weathers got the start in game one and went six strong innings giving up just two earned runs while striking out two in a no decision. Bryant Heston was the pitching of record tossing a clean top half of the seventh in relief.
The final game of the weekend started out as a pitcher's duel. Matt Coles had the ball on the bump for the Lakehawks and did not allow a runner to reach base until the fourth inning. The Raiders scraped across two runs in the top of the fourth before Lake-Sumter answered back with two runs of their own. The scoring continued for NWF adding two more runs in the fifth and sixth for a 6-2 lead. Scott was able to bring in Steven Beach on a sacrifice fly, but that would be the last run the team would score. Northwest Florida earned a split on the day with the 6-3 victory in game two.
"It's always good to get that first win in the opening weekend," said Head Coach, Rich Billings. "The guys battled and I think we see some of the areas we need to improve and get ready for this week."
Baseball will hit the road Wednesday and head to South Florida State College. First pitch is scheduled for 5 pm. The team will back on the Leesburg campus Friday to take on Palm Beach State at 2 pm.