Baseball Getting Set for Conference Opener

Leesburg, Fla. – A tough non-conference schedule has prepared the Lake-Sumter State College baseball team for their upcoming Mid-Florida Conference opponents.

An early lead for the Lakehawks was not enough to secure the victory against Pasco-Hernando last Wednesday. Heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, LSSC held a 6-1 lead over the Bobcats. Cameron Recny put together a strong start from the hill for Lake-Sumter, but was pulled in the seventh after giving up three runs in the inning.

Pasco-Hernando continued to score in the bottom of the seventh, plating five total runs to knot the game up at 6-6. The Bobcats held the Lakehawks scoreless in the eighth before adding three runs of their own. LSSC was unable to score in the ninth giving PHSC the 9-6 win.

Spencer Taylor, Alan Alonso and Collin Teegarden tallied two hits each in a losing effort. Alonso and Teegarden both notched triples in the game while Jarrett Backus led the way with three RBIs. Nick Labrada was tagged with the loss.

A three game series was next up for LSSC against ASA Miami. Saturday was a double header in which the teams combined to score 31 runs on 41 hits in two games.

The bats came out early for Lake-Sumter going up 5-1 after the first three innings. ASA added two runs in the top of the fourth with LSSC answering back with one of their own in the bottom of the fifth.

Leading 6-3 heading into the ninth, the Silver Storm came to the plate ready to swing. ASA totaled five runs on four hits and took advantage of one LSSC error to take an 8-6 lead. Robbie Scott was able to score on a passed ball, but his team fell short, 8-7.

Game two was a slugfest from the first pitch on. ASA scored first with two runs crossing home before the Lakehawks came to bat. LSSC came right back with a four hit, four run bottom of the first. The offense fell silent for Lake-Sumter throughout the rest of the game.

The Silver Storm added three in the third and then one run, three runs and one more in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings respectfully. Lake-Sumter was only able to add one run in both the fifth and sixth innings, falling by a score of 10-6.

Sunday marked the final game of the three game series against ASA College – Miami. The Silver Storm totaled 14 runs on 13 hits in the contest. Conor McCormack and Backus knocked in two runs for the Lakehawks in the bottom of the ninth to avoid the shutout by a final score of 14-2.

Kalamazoo Valley Community College took the long trip down from up north to meet up with the Lakehawks for one nine inning game Wednesday at 3 pm. It will be the final tune-up before taking on St. Johns River State Friday, on the road at 4 pm, to open up their conference schedule.