Lakeland, Fla. (March 5) -- Just hours after beating Eckerd 10-9, the baseball team dropped an 18-1 final to Florida Southern at Henley Field. The Hawks were held in check for only one run off five different Moccasin pitchers. The loss drops the Hawks to 2-4, while the win improves Florida Southern to 7-11.

Freshman starting pitcher Neil Hesek (Northboro, Mass.) worked out of first and second inning jams to keep Florida Southern off the board. After he walked Spencer Theisen (Longwood, Fla.) to open the bottom of the inning, Eric Baca (Franklin, N.H.) threw him out on an attempted steal. Then after an Arden McWilliams (Shaker Heights, Ohio) single, Robbie Shields (Dade City, Fla.) grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

Hesek ran into some control problems in the third inning though, as the Moccassins put up six runs. Florida Southern used the benefit of five walks and a hit batter, as Will Cherry (Lakeland, Fla.) doubled to bring home two runners and Tristan Rainone (Melbourne, Fla.) singled home two runners to cap the Moccassin rally.

Florida Southern added five more runs in the fourth and another tally in the fifth to go up 12-0 before the Hawks brought home a single run in the top of the sixth. Dave Wirkus (Orange, Conn.) singled in T.J. Bowler (Pittsfield, Mass.) who had walked earlier in the inning. The run was the only scoring the Hawks mustered though, as the Moccassins cruised to the 18-1 victory.

Wirkus, Ben Gunn (Vineyard Haven, Mass.), Tim Murphy (Reading, Mass.) and Steven Panza (Watertown, Mass.) all had a hit apiece for the Hawks in the loss.

The Hawks return to the field on Thursday morning, taking on Assumption in a non-conference game in Sarasota, Fla.