The Seminole County Scorpions were finally able to play a full nine-inning game for the first time since Tuesday. The results came back similar, with the Scorpions falling to their opponent.

This time the Sanford River Rats were the victorious party by defeating Seminole County, 8-2, on Saturday night at Sanford Memorial Stadium.

It was a close game through the first five innings as both starting pitchers answered the call from their coaches. Ross Korosec (Rollins) and Sanford’s Devin Meyer went pitch-for-pitch on Saturday and battled until Korosec’s exit in the sixth.

For the Scorpions, Korosec battled for five innings, giving up only two runs and four hits. His nine strikeouts was the most in a game by any Scorpions pitcher so far this season. At one point on Saturday, he fanned five straight River Rats and retired six of seven batters thanks to the K.

Despite his best efforts, Korosec picked up his second loss of the season after not having any run support. His 1.84 ERA is the fifth-lowest in the league by any pitcher while being the only pitcher in the top five with multiple losses.

The Scorpions also welcomed a new face to the lineup, while his bat made its presence known. Brandon Dudley, an outfielder from the Jacksonville University Dolphins, started off his season in style, including a single and two walks. Dudley sent a laser solo home run over the left field wall in the fourth inning to cut Sanford’s lead in half. He finished his first game going 2-for-2, along with a perfect on-base percentage and batting average.

Anthony George (UCF) also had multiple hits for the Scorpions, adding a single and a double to his stat line.

Unfortunately, the Scorpions bullpen gave up the insurance runs the River Rats desperately needed. Throughout the first five innings, the team’s fought behind their starters and kept the game close for both sides. But when Korosec was relieved, the Scorps hit a wall while Sanford kept cruising.

The loss on Saturday puts the Scorpions at the bottom of the standings with a 5-10 record in a tie for fifth place. They’ll travel to Leesburg on Monday to steer the ship right. The Lightning go into Monday on a 13-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest in league history.

Justin Ahlum (University of Florida)