TCC wins fifth straight, completes sweep of Pensacola State

PENSACOLA, Fla. (March 27, 2013) - FCSAA No. 1 and nationally-ranked Tallahassee Community College won its fifth straight game on Wednesday, defeating Pensacola State College, 11-3, to complete a three-game sweep of the Pirates.

Tallahassee (34-5) has won all three of its Panhandle Conference series and sits at 8-1 in league play. Pensacola State (13-21-1, 0-6) is still looking for its first PC victory.

Dating back to February 15, the Eagles have won 24 of 26 overall and five straight since falling to Chipola College on March 18.

Unlike games one and two against the Pirates, Wednesday didn't come with much suspense. The Eagles scored a run in the first and led 5-0 before Pensacola State got on the board in the fourth with three runs against Tallahassee starter and winning pitcher Nick Deckert (6-0).

Deckert scattered nine hits, walked none and struck out seven over 6.2 innings before handing things off to Bradley Robbins, who pitched the final 2.1 innings.

Leading 5-3, Tallahassee needed only one hit to plate three runs in the seventh. After Clay Fenwick singled with one out, Trent Higginbothem walked and John Price, Jr., was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A trio of walks followed to Tyler York, Matt Bahnick and Cody Borup, each resulting in an RBI, to help the Eagles extend their lead to 8-3.

Tallahassee added three insurance runs in the ninth.

After an RBI-single by Fenwick plated the first run of the inning, Higginbothem, the reigning NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA Player of the Week, doubled home the final two runs of the game.

Fenwick went 4-for-5 to raise his batting average to .472. He also scored two runs and drove in three.

Higginbothem was 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Tallahassee, who is ranked No. 3 by the NJCAA and No. 5 by Perfect Game, can now turn its attention to Friday's series opener with Gulf Coast State College.

The Eagles have opened up a 1.5 game lead in the PC standings over the Commodores (26-10, 5-1), who will have enjoyed a full week off by the time Friday's 5 p.m. first pitch rolls around.

Games one and three (5 p.m. Monday) will take place at Eagle Field while the second game will shift to Panama City, Fla., at 2 p.m. eastern Saturday.