WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Winona State Warriors (0-4) fell 8-0 to Palm Beach Atlantic University Sailfish (9-6) in the first of five games in the 'Sunshine State'.
Palm Beach Atlantic put down the Warriors one, two, three to begin play. The Sailfish bats were alive early, scoring three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first. A passed ball advanced two Sailfish runners before Kyle Simon homered to left center putting PBA up 3-0 early. Winona State was able to get out of the inning after two fly ball outs.
Sean Horner made quick work of WSU in the top of the second striking out the first two batters swinging and inducing a ground ball out to end the top half of the inning.
Lucas Crimmins had to go into damage control early after allowing a double to Evan Dougherty. Dougherty advanced to third on a wild pitch before a walk set up Sean Visconti's sacrifice fly to left brining the score to 4-0. Crimmins was able to get out of the inning with a strikeout one batter later.
Winona State got its first runner of the game after
Kipp Youngquist reached on a fielding error. The error was immediately followed with a double play, as the Warriors were unable to capitalize on the error.
Andrew Pliner would later walk before being caught stealing to end the away half of the inning. Crimmins set the Sailfish down in order ending the third inning on a strikeout after a fly out and ground out.
Michael Hommes singled to right for the Warriors first hit of the night following a strikeout. Winona State was unable to advance him however, as a strike out and a ground out left Hommes on base. Crimmins made fairly quick work of PBA in the bottom of the fourth. A walk ensued a pop out before Jake Summey would be thrown out at third on his attempted steal; the stolen base attempt was followed by another pop out ending the inning.
Neither side could muster a baserunner in the fifth as the Warriors grounded out twice and struck out once. Crimmins continued to hold the Sailfish scoreless after the second inning striking out the first two batters swinging before getting a fly out to right field.
Horner forced another one, two, three inning to begin the sixth inning of play. A single, wild pitch and a walk ended Crimmins night on the mound and
Parker Holmstrom was brought in. A single into center field by Summey scored two more and PBA extended the lead to 6-0. Holmstrom was able to get out of the inning after the single, forcing two pop outs.
The Warriors went down in order for the third consecutive inning as the contest reached inning seven. The Sailfish loaded the bases thanks to a double, single and a hit by pitch as they threatened to extend their advantage. Holmstrom worked his way out of the jam forcing a pop out to second base and a fly ball out to center. Holmstrom struck out Eddie Vicinanza looking four pitches later.
The Sailfish added two runs in the eighth despite not registering a hit. Summey reached first on a throwing error by new pitcher
Mitchell Eady. A wild pitch advanced Summey to third before Doughtery would be hit by a pitch. Doughtery stole second during the next at bat and a throwing error advanced him to third scoring Summey. A sacrifice fly to left would score Doughtery ending scoring in the inning.
Winona State entered the top of the ninth down eight as
Treyton Larson reached on a walk to open the inning. Back-to-back strikeouts brought the Warriors down to their final out moments later. Hommes doubled to left field for his second hit of the night as Larson reached third base. The contest ended as Mitchell Carroll struck out his third batter of the inning to pick up the 8-0 win.
Winona State stays in West Palm Beach to play St. Edwards Friday at 12 P.M. in a neutral cite game.
By: Jake Thiede
