3/14/13- The FCC Suns baseball team learned earlier this week that they are the NCCAA preseason #2 ranked team in the nation, thanks in large part to their Runner-Up finish in the NCCAA World Series last season. The Suns then went out on Wednesday and quickly validated that ranking by beating NCAA DII power Ashland University, 9-2. Ashland is the most successful program (five NCAA DII World Series appearances, and often in the Top 25) that FCC has faced in their short existence as a college baseball program; and to pick up a lopsided win over them is a big shot in the arm of FCC Baseball. Suns starting pitcher, Nick Beavers (So., Deltona, FL), pitched six shutout innings to pick up the win. FCC was led at the plate by Elim Perritte (So., Powder Springs, GA) who was 3-4, with an RBI and a double, Eric Santamaria (So., Miami, FL) who was 3-5, with an RBI and a double, and Casey Elkins (Jr., Ocala, FL) who was 2-4 with 2 RBI’s. Suns Head Coach, Jon Copeland, was pleased with the team’s overall performance, “Ashland Head Coach, John Schaly, has done a tremendous job with that program over the years. To beat a high-caliber program like that, really is a statement for us and where our program is going. We ended last week flat, so to bounce back like this, in the very next game, was very good”.

Yesterday the Suns split a doubleheader with Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, another top NAIA program. In the first game FCC fell behind early 4-0, but the Suns battled back behind some clutch hitting and a strong relief performance from Angel Domenech (Fr., Miami, FL), who held the Cougars scoreless for the final four innings and picked up his first college win, 6-4. FCC was led at the plate by Perritte, who was 2-3, with an RBI and a double, Elkins with 2 RBI’s, Randy Petito (Fr., Cape Coral, FL) who was 2-2, and Mark Vidal (So., Orlando, FL) who was 2-3 with 2 RBI’s. The Suns dropped the nightcap, 3-2, squandering seven hits, including a home run from Ramon Cedeno (Fr., Osceola, FL), and a strong complete game performance from Andres Cancio (So., Orlando, FL). FCC returns to the field today when they complete their 4-game series with MVNU with a doubleheader that begins at 12pm.