LAKELAND, Fla. -- The annual exhibition game against Florida Southern's well-regarded Division II baseball program is always fraught with peril for the Detroit Tigers.
Win? You're supposed to win.
Lose? You just got beat by a bunch of college kids.
First-year manager Ron Gardenhire got his initiation into the tradition in a pre-game visit from general manager Al Avila.
"Al told me before the game, 'Just don't get beat by this team,'" Gardenhire said. "That's pressure for the first game. Luckily, he walked away laughing."
The Mocs took a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning, putting their first victory over the Tigers since 1986 in sight.