MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University faced similar circumstances that ultimately led to identical fates in both games of its doubleheader Saturday as it had letdowns in the late innings in both games which allowed Keiser University to take both games Saturday and the entire weekend series at Harry T. Moore Field.
Keiser University swept the series, taking both games Saturday as well as defeating FMU 8-5 Friday afternoon.
After leading through the third inning of the day's first game, the bottom fell out on the Lions in the middle innings as the visiting Seahawks scored seven runs in the fourth and another in the fifth before eventually taking an 11-5 victory.
The second game of the day stung a bit more for Florida Memorial; since it took a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning but saw the Seahawks not only tie the game in the top of the eighth but completely take control of the game with a five-run ninth inning – cementing a 7-2 final margin.
Pitching, which has been a concern of Florida Memorial head coach
Florentino Burgos up to this point in the season, wasn't exactly the thorn in the Lions' paw Saturday.
In the first game, it was a fielding error that sparked Keiser run in the fourth inning. On an infield pop-up, FMU's third baseman attempted to field what appeared to be a routine catch, but saw the ball bounce off the outside of his glove and onto the ground – breathing new life into the Seahawks' half of the inning.
Thanks to that error, Keiser was able to load the bases and took full advantage of it with a grand slam shot over the right field fence during the inning.
The lone bright spot of the first game was freshman
Malik Shinozaki's eighth-inning solo home run shot over the right field fence – his first and only at bat of the game and Florida Memorial's first home run at Harry T. Moore Field this season – which brought FMU to within 8-5.
Nathan Llanes led the Lions in the first game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Also,
Jouseph Renovales went 2-for-5 while
Christian Rivera was credited with the loss after just four innings of work.
FMU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the day's second game thanks to an error by the Seahawks that allowed Llanes to cross home plate from second base. Keiser tied it up in the fourth, then the teams stayed knotted until the bottom of the sixth when the Lions were gifted a run thanks to a Seahawks error that allowed Renovales to cross home plate.
That 2-1 lead lasted until the eighth, then things went south in the top of the ninth as the Lions' pitching broke down and the Seahawks manufactured five runs.
Llanes was 2-for-4 in the second game; Renovales was 1-for-4;
Yunior Sanchez had two RBI. Johnakiel Acosta pitched 8 and one-third innings in the second game and took the loss.
