Box Score

ST. AUGUSTINE – Brett Moreland (Charles Town, W.Va., Frederick CC) went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in to help lead Flagler College to a 4-3 win over defending national champion University of West Florida in the baseball season opener for both team Friday night at Drysdale Field.

The last time Flagler played the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II was Mar. 24, 2010 vs. Florida Southern – a 4-1 win by the Saints.

Flagler got strong outings from four pitchers who racked up 12 strikeouts. Jonathan Armold (Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Pine Crest School) (1-0) tossed five innings and allowed two hits, two runs and fanned eight. Max Rusch (Fargo, N.D., Des Moines Area CC) closed the ninth to earn his first save.

Rusch's ninth did not without a bit of drama. With Flagler leading 4-2, pinch hitter Richie Long hit a one-out single to start the Argonauts rally. Leo Lamarche grounded to second to set up a game-ending double play, but the throw to first base went high and the inning went on with two outs. Blake Barber followed by being hit by a pitch and then Taye Larry belted a 3-2 pitch into the left-center field gap scoring Lamarche from second to cut the score to 4-3. However, Rusch was able to get Andrew Rodriguez to line out to left field as Moreland jumped and corralled the line drive.

Flagler scored the necessary insurance run in the fourth inning. After a Kyle Foti (Stamford, Conn., Trinity Catholic HS) walk to start the frame, John Sgromolo (Fleming Island, Fla., Clay HS) bunted the ball to the left of the pitcher's mound, but reliever Drew Bryson fielded the play clean and spun to turn and make the play at second base. His throw went into left-center and Foti scampered to third base. Bryson tried to pick-off Sgromolo at first, but in-so-doing wound up balking and allowed Sgromolo to take second and Foti scored with the fourth run.

Charlie Stewart (Port St. Lucie, Fla., Lincoln Park Academy) singled twice for the Saints. Nate Fudala (Cincinnati, Ohio, Turpin HS) and Devon Hellett (Ponte Vedra Beach,Fla., Gulf Coast CC) each collected a single.

Tyler Ward (Rochester, N.Y., Alfred State College) tossed two scoreless innings in relief and fanned two batters. Tyler Ward (Rochester, N.Y., Alfred State College) pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Dustin Saulman singled twice for West Florida. Kevin Peters (0-1) started and lasted three innings. He allowed five hits and two earned runs.

The same two teams meet on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Flagler 4, West Florida 3 (Feb 03, 2012 at St. Augustine, Fla.)
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West Florida........ 100 100 001  -  3  5  2      (0-1)
Flagler............. 210 100 00X  -  4  7  0      (1-0)
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Battery: West Florida - Kevin Peters; Drew Bryson(4); Dan Husum(8) and Billy O'Connor; Garret Flynn. Flagler - Jonathan Armold; Tyler Ward(6); Max Kreuter(8); Max Rusch(9) and Kyle Foti.
Win-Jonathan Armold(1-0)  Save-Max Rusch(1)  Loss-Kevin Peters(0-1)  T-2:45  A-311
Weather: 69; cloudy; wind: 9 mph
Peters faced 2 batters in the 4th.