Cruz-Sanchez, Hanson Deliver in Baseball’s Senior Night Win Over No. 18 Florida Southern, 7-5

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Richard Cruz-Sanchez pitched five strong innings and Chris Hanson belted a key three-run blast as the Eckerd College baseball team opened its final series of the season with a 7-5 win over No. 18 Florida Southern College on Senior Night.

Prior to the start of the game, Shane Bishop, Richard Kowalski, Lincoln Dunham, Conar Mahon, Hanson, Mike Vavasis, A.J. Witkowski and Cruz-Sanchez, along with former player and student coach, Austin Bynum, with A.J. Wnukowski were recognized and given plaques while joined by teammates and coaches at the Turley Athletic Complex.

The Tritons (26-21, 10-12 SSC) earned their 10th Sunshine State Conference win of the season as they defeated the Moccasins (31-16, 13-9 SSC). The 10 league wins are the most in a single season for the program since Eckerd tallied 11 SSC victories in 1999.

Sophomore Rowdy Andrews opened up the Tritons' first series of at-bats with a single to center field. Consecutive singles from Bishop, Mike Abraham and Hanson brought in two runs, while Abraham scored on a double-play ball as Eckerd took an early 3-0 advantage.

Florida Southern cut Eckerd's lead to one in the top of the second inning as Casey Eddinger and Conor Szczerba both notched RBI singles.

Eckerd extended its lead to 7-2 in the fifth as Abraham drove his third hit of the game into right field to score Andrews.

The hit sparked a pitching change for the Moccasins and Hanson welcomed Casey Eskew to the game with a first pitch, three-run home run -- his third of the season -- over the wall in right center.

Florida Southern tabbed two runs in the seventh and one run in the ninth, but the Tritons' bullpen in Kyle Harding and Taylor Owens was able to hold off the threatening Moccasins' offense.

Cruz-Sanchez tossed five complete innings to earn the win and improve to 2-4 on the year. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits and struck out one.

Owens came in to close out the ninth and produce his eighth save of the season.

The lefty reliever is now tied for second in program history with Jimmy Hoog (1988) for saves in a single season.

Eckerd will complete its season and the series with Florida Southern tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. The start time was changed one hour due to potential weather moving through the area.

Tomorrow's games also represent the final contests in the dugout for accomplished 24-year skipper Bill Mathews, who guided his team to career victory No. 503 tonight.

Mathews was featured in the Tampa Bay Times earlier this week and an additional story will be released by his hometown newspaper in the near future.

Live stats and video will be available on www.EckerdTritons.com.

Senior Night Scripts

A.J. Wnukowski – Student Assistant Coach                                           
Our first senior recognized will be graduating in December after serving an integral role as a member of the coaching staff as a student assistant. A.J. has spent countless hours helping with charts for the hitters, on-and-off-the-field preparation for games and all aspects of practice.

We are very thankful and proud to recognize Mr. A.J. Wnukowski!

#1 - A.J. Witkowski  - Infielder – Orchard Park, N.Y.
Our next senior is one of three four-year members of the program who has contributed at the middle infield primarily at second base and in a versatile relief role from the pen.

As we recognize our second A.J. of the night, Witkowski has played in 60 games spanning his career, including 27 as a junior. With an additional five appearances and one start as a pitcher, he has had a chance to throw opponents off balance with a dancing knuckleball that has frozen opponents.

He has been named to the SSC Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll and has a fine taste in walk-up songs, choosing a few oldies hits over the years. Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for Mr. A.J. Witkowski!

#3 – Richard Kowalski – Pitcher – Orchard Park, N.Y.
Our next senior is also from the same stomping grounds as Witkowski in The Empire State, ultimately playing the final two years of his career since transferring from Niagara Community College.

After recording a winning decision as a junior, Kowalski has embraced an expanded role as a midweek starter this season, making six starts as part of his eight appearances.

In his second start this spring, "Richie" was lights out against Thomas University just three hits allowed in eight innings of work. He struck out a career-high seven batters toeing the rubber next against Ohio Valley.

This southpaw lefty has also been chosen to the SSC Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll. Please congratulate Mr. Richard Kowalski!

#5 – Conar Mahon – Pitcher – Hopkinton, Mass.
Mahon joined the Tritons for his final season as a two-sport athlete from The Norwich University. Another Northeast product to make his impact for the team, he struck out almost a batter per inning in 11 appearances this spring.

Mahon's tall mound presence and deceptive delivery towards the plate has translated into 3.27 season ERA and was untouched for any runs in his first seven outings.

He recorded one out for the historic winning decision against Palm Beach Atlantic University in Eckerd's five-run comeback that represented Coach Bill Mathews' 500th career victory.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Conar Mahon!

#7 – Mike Vavasis – Outfielder/Catcher – Port Richey, Fla.
Our next senior has emerged has a legitimate all-conference candidate by displaying power to all gaps of the field while showing defensive versatility at the corner outfield and catcher positions.

Appearing in his 94th game this evening, he has slugged a total of 13 home runs in his two-year career while racking up nearly 100 hits and batting close to a .300 clip.

He has ripped 26 doubles and a pair of triples to help drive in 52 runs while sporting a classic beard for the ages. This spring, he has recorded 13 multi-hit games and leads the team in home runs, slugging percentage and total bases.

Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for Mr. Mike Vavasis!

#8 – Lincoln Dunham – Outfielder – Tarpon Springs, Fla.
This rangy senior outfielder with a refined eye at the plate has put together a season to remember in his final year, batting .331 with 51 hits while playing in his 91st game tonight.

In the first month of the season, Dunham was hitting at torrid clip over .500 highlighted with a weekend at Johnson University that included him reaching base in nine of his 10 plate appearances while going 7-for-8 at the dish.

He started this year with a 12-game hitting streak and had a hit in 15 of his first 16 games. Coming into tonight, he has had three multi-hit games in his last four played.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Lincoln Dunham!

#11 – Chris Hanson – First Baseman/Designated Hitter – St. Pete Beach, Fla.
This senior has solidified the middle of the lineup as a feared left-handed bat known to feast on fastballs to the tune of 11 career home runs with some iconic blasts over the right-field wall.

Maybe no home run was more memorable in recent history for Hanson than a three-run walk-off blast in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs to break a 4-4 tie against Palm Beach Atlantic last year.

He has recorded a total of 60 RBI in the past two seasons and leads the team in that category this year while tying for the team lead in doubles. Last year, he was honored as the Division II Baseball News National Player of the Week and was presented with SSC Player of the Week recognition.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join us in congratulating Mr. Chris Hanson!

#17 – Richard Cruz-Sanchez – Starting Pitcher – Frederick, Md.
Our next senior has taken the mound for a total of 48 appearances throughout his four-year career. His role has emerged into the all-important Friday-night starter while logging nearly 150 innings combined.

As a junior he racked up four wins as a starter and has seen career-best numbers this spring in innings pitched with over 60 and strikeouts with 52. He has also been chosen to the SSC Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll as he finishes up his studies.

He will be dearly missed as a valued member of "The Sound Crew" and a search to be groomed as his replacement is already underway.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Richard Cruz-Sanchez!

#18 – Austin Bynum – Student Assistant Coach/Pitcher – Tavernier, Fla.
Bynum was a two-year letterwinner for the program before transitioning into the coaching staff in a student-assistant capacity. He has been working extensively with the pitching staff after making a combined nine appearances in relief during his freshman and junior seasons.

He was picked to the SSC Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll last season and has been a representative for the team as part of the Eckerd Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Austin Bynum!

#10 – Shane Bishop – Outfielder – Tampa, Fla.
Our final senior has played in 113 games throughout his four-year career coming into tonight. His junior season saw him bat over .300 while clubbing three home runs, including two homers in three games versus Florida Christian and Saint Anselm.

His productive left-handed swing has recorded 57 hits with nine extra-base hits and driven in 23 runs while playing both corner outfield positions defensively.

The Eckerd College baseball team is a close-knit family and recently, it has rallied together the past few weeks as one of its own is recovering from the passing of his mother due to a battle with cancer. We are very proud for what Shane has accomplished and we continue to join him in support through this difficult time.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join us in congratulating Mr. Shane Bishop!