FSCJ Drops Conference Opener to Palm Beach State

LAKE WORTH, FLA. - FSCJ took I-95 South for a three game series with Palm Beach State College this weekend to open up Sunlakes Conference play. FSCJ took a tight Friday contest 6-5 before dropping a heartbreaker 5-4 in game two in the Saturday morning game. Palm Beach took game three 7-1 in a weather-shortened game as the rain came in on Saturday afternoon. This leads FSCJ's record to 13-10 (1-2 Sunlakes). 

Game One

Friday's festivities started in a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows in the first four innings. FSCJ plated two in the top of the first inning on back to back doubles by Barry Eiseman and Evan Wickeri and a double-steal that scored Wickeri from third. Palm Beach countered with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first off of FSCJ starting pitcher Brian Veniard. The Blue Wave struck back in the top of the second inning with RBI singles by JC Medina and Garrett Chun to take a 4-3 lead. PBSC took advantage of some Blue Wave defensive miscues to take a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the third. FSCJ answered the call once again in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI single from Jayme Villafane and RBI fielder's choice by Blake Wood. That score would hold as both bullpens got involved, throwing up zeroes on each side for the last 5 innings of the game. Veniard gutted through four innings, allowing five runs (three earned) and striking out four. Andrew Myers was outstanding out of the bullpen for FSCJ, throwing the final five shutout innings, allowing no hits and no walks while striking out two, advancing his season record to 4-0. Chun, Eiseman, Villafane, and Cam Wademan all had multi-hit games at the plate.

Game Two

Saturday's games were moved up an hour due to inclement weather in the afternoon forecast, with game one of the doubleheader starting at 11:00. The weather was tricky for both teams at times, with 25-40 mph wind gusts throughout the day. FSCJ jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on Evan Wickeri's 5th home run of the season and an Xavier Cintron single. Palm Beach tacked on a solo homer in the third, cutting the lead to 2-1. Hunter Bradshaw extended the Blue Wave lead to 3-1 with an RBI single in the top of the fourth inning. The Panthers again used the solo home run to score in teh fourth, trimming the lead to 3-2. FSCJ answered back with a Barry Eiseman RBI sac fly to extend back to 4-2. PBSC tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a two-RBI single and walked off the visiting Blue Wave 5-4 on a single in the bottom of the seventh. Daniel Gaviria was the starter for FSCJ, going 6 innings and allowing four runs, striking out four. Patrick Groark took the loss for FSCJ after allowing his first earned run of the season to go to 0-1. Wickeri, Cintron, and Bradshaw had multi-hit games.

Game Three

The rubber match of this conference opening series went to Palm Beach by a score of 7-1 in a rain-shortened, 5 inning game as the rain fell hard in the top of the 6th inning. PBSC put up a 5 spot in the bottom of the second due to a three-run home run and a two-run home run. FSCJ scored their lone run on a Blake Wood RBI single in the top of the third. Palm Beach added single runs in the third and fourth innings. Colby Lipovsky (1-5) was the starter for the Wave, allowing five runs. Jayme Villafane had a multi-hit game.