February 2, 2014
SF BASEBALL
Gainesville, FL – Santa Fe College President Dr. Jackson Sasser tossed out the first pitch on Saturday afternoon, signaling the opening of the 2014 baseball season and the Saints took it from there, shutting down Indian River State College (0-3) in route to a 5-1 win.
Kevin Martin started on the hill and tossed four solid innings, allowing just one run on one hit with six strikeouts. Righty Jimmy Moore (1-0) tossed three scoreless innings to earn the win and Jeremy Graf and Derek Vail pitched scoreless innings to close out the win.
SF (1-0) trailed 1-0 after the top of the third, but answered with a two out RBI single by third baseman Brady Roberson to knot the score at 1-1.
The Saints manufactured a run the old fashioned way in the sixth to grab a hold of the lead for good. Roberson started the frame with a double to center and shortstop George Ragsdale lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to advance the runner to third. Catcher Roger Gonzalez continued the display of fundamental baseball with a sac fly of his own to center to score the go ahead and eventual winning run.
Second baseman Payson Smith put some insurance runs on the board with a two out, two run homerun (1) in the seventh and Roberson followed two batters later with his second double of the game to make it 5-1. Graf and Vail took it from there, shutting down the Pioneers over the final two frames.
Roberson led the way offensively, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, Casey Scoggins was 2-for-4, and Payson Smith was 1-for-2 with a homerun and two RBI.
The Saints will travel to South Georgia College on Monday, February 3 for a double header at 2:00 PM.
For More information on Santa Fe Baseball, please visit www.sfcollege.edu/athletics. To see game photos and other updates, follow Santa Fe College Athletics on Facebook.
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