May 7, 2021
SF Baseball Claims Three FCSAA All-State Honors
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - No. 8 Santa Fe Baseball, the 2021 Mid-Florida Conference Champions, had three players earn FCSAA All-State/All-NJCAA Region 8 honors
Pitcher Robb Adams joined infielder Luis Rodriguez on the First Team, while pitcher Mitchell Gross was selected to the Second Team.
The complete FCSAA list of award winners is included at the conclusion of this release.
Robb Adams, 2021 MFC Pitcher of the Year, MFC First Team (Pitcher), FCSAA First Team All-State (Pitcher)
The 2021 Mid-Florida Conference Pitcher of the Year award went to Robb Adams, and he now adds First Team All-State accolades as well.
In the regular season, Adams held a 6-1 record on the mound in a team-high 72 IP, which ranked No. 11 in the NJCAA Division I.
The lefty from Arcadia, Fla. also recorded one save, throwing the 14th inning to clinch the MFC title in the 12-10 win over Seminole State on Monday, April 19.
Prior to the start of the FCSAA State Tournament, Adams ranked No. 3 in the FCSAA with a 1.75 ERA, No. 13 in the NJCAA Division I.
His 73 strikeouts (9.13 K/9) in the regular season led the team, and he conceded just 14 earned runs in 14 appearances and 11 starts. Opponents were unable to produce an earned run against Adams in each of his first four starts of the season over the course of 27 innings pitched.
Additionally, Adams tossed a complete game shutout against Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on Feb. 16 in a 5-0 win, and then was chosen as the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday, Feb. 23
Luis Rodriguez, MFC First Team (Infielder), FCSAA First Team All-State (Infielder)
Rodriguez, a sophomore from Guarenas, Venezuela, plays primarily at the hot corner for the Saints and garnered First Team All Mid-Florida Conference along with the FCSAA First Team All-State distinction.
No. 11 is currently in the midst of a 13-game hitting streak, and he hit for a .400 average in April.
On the regular season, he led SF in at-bats (142), hits (51), doubles (17), home runs (9), RBI (48), and slugging percentage (.683), while ranking second on the team in batting average (.359) and third in runs scored (33).
In the FCSAA, Rodriguez ranked 6th in doubles (17), 7th in RBI (48), and 10th in home runs (9).
Eight of his nine home runs came in Mid-Florida Conference play. He notched two multi-HR games (at Daytona State, 3/10, vs. St. Johns River, 3/15), and was named the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week on March 16.
With the Saints trailing Indian River 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning in an elimination game at the FCSAA State Tournament, Rodriguez came through in the clutch with his tenth home run of the season to tie the game up and keep the Saints' hopes alive. Santa Fe went on to win in walkoff fashion in 11 innings, 8-7.
Mitchell Gross, MFC First Team (Pitcher), FCSAA Second Team All-State (Pitcher)
Gross, a left-handed freshman from Gainesville, Ga. and Forsyth Central High School, has been a reliable starter all season long for SF on his way to Mid-Florida Conference First Team accolades and now FCSAA Second Team All-State recognition.
Prior to the start of the FCSAA State Tournament, Gross had made 13 appearances and 12 starts, holding a win-loss record of 7-2.
His 69 strikeouts on the regular season averaged out to a team-high 9.46 K/9 innings pitched, and he held a respectable 3.29 ERA.
Gross impressively struck out six or more batters in seven of his 12 starts, which included a season-high ten K's in a 4-3 win on March 12 over St. Johns River State College.
In his most recent start at the FCSAA State Tournament against Indian River State College in a no-decision, Gross pitched into the sixth inning and did well enough to have the Saints in position to win, which they did in walkoff fashion in 11 innings, 8-7.
Adams, Rodriguez, Gross and the Saints are still alive in the FCSAA State Tournament, and have an elimination game matchup with Pensacola State College on Friday, May 7 at 4:00 p.m. at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla.