No. 13 Florida Southern Stuns No. 1 Tampa

The No. 13 Florida Southern College Moccasins delivered a seismic upset this weekend, taking down the top-ranked University of Tampa Spartans in a captivating Sunshine State Conference series at Henley Field. The Mocs showcased resilience and clutch hitting, securing the series victory with a 6-3 win on Friday night and an 11-8 triumph in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. While Tampa salvaged the series finale with a narrow 4-3 victory, the weekend belonged to Florida Southern, marking their first series win over the Spartans since 2022.

Friday night's opener was a statement from the outset, as Florida Southern (23-6, 8-2 SSC) jumped to an early 2-0 lead and never relinquished control. The victory held extra significance for head coach Rick O'Dette, who celebrated his milestone 700th career win. Rohsean Riley was the offensive catalyst for the Mocs, delivering a perfect 4-for-4 performance at the plate with three RBIs, snapping Florida Southern's six-game losing streak against their formidable rivals. Mikey Scott, Grant Thoroman, and Jevin Relaford each chipped in with solo hits, out-hitting the Spartans (24-5, 9-1 SSC) 7-6. Thoroman also wreaked havoc on the basepaths with four stolen bases, while Relaford added two more, contributing to the Mocs' six total steals. On the mound, Sachem Ramos was masterful, earning his sixth win of the season with seven strong innings, allowing just five hits and two runs while striking out four. Casey O'Dell shut the door in the final two innings, surrendering only one hit to secure the 6-3 upset. Despite multi-hit days from Nico Saladino and Brayden Woodburn, Tampa struggled to capitalize, leaving 11 runners stranded.

The series victory was clinched in Saturday's first game, an 11-8 thriller that saw the Moccasins build a commanding lead and hold off a late Tampa rally. After the Spartans took an early 1-0 lead, Florida Southern exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second, fueled by RBIs from Cory Filley, Cleary Simpson, Mikey Scott, Grant Thoroman, and Noah Rabin. Tampa battled back, cutting the lead to 6-5, but the Mocs responded with a run in the fourth and a decisive four-run outburst in the sixth, highlighted by a three-run home run from Ahmad Fitts, extending their lead to 11-5. The Spartans mounted a late charge, scoring three unanswered runs, but Robert Tracy III shut them down in the ninth to secure the 11-8 victory and the series win for Florida Southern. BJ Rivera earned the pitching win for the Mocs.

Tampa managed to avoid the sweep in the weekend's final game, edging out Florida Southern 4-3 in a tightly contested matchup. The Mocs took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, and starter Logan Adams held the Spartans scoreless for four frames. However, Tampa rallied to take a 4-2 lead in the sixth. Mikey Scott's solo home run in the eighth brought the Mocs within one, but they couldn't muster any further offense. Despite the loss in the finale, the series victory was a significant triumph for Florida Southern, showcasing their ability to compete with the nation's best.

Florida Southern carried this momentum into their midweek matchup win against Nova Southeastern University and series victory over St. Leo this past weekend. The Mocs have a series showdown against PBA on their home field beginning April 11th.