TCC grinds out another win against Pasco-Hernando

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 27, 2013) - Top-ranked Tallahassee Community College managed only six hits on Saturday afternoon but it was enough for the Eagles to claim a 4-1 win over Pasco-Hernando Community College in game two of the teams' three-game series. 

Tallahassee (44-8) will go for the series sweep at 1 p.m. Sunday in its regular season finale. Pasco-Hernando is now 30-20. 

For the second straight day, the Conquistadors got a quality start from their starting pitcher. On Friday, Chris Fee pitched into the eighth. Today, Austin Toole went the distance and allowed only six hits but Tallahassee took advantage of four walks, a wild pitch and a hit batsman. 

Toole walked Anthony Torres and Chad Mabini to start the first inning. After a double play advanced Torres to third, he scored on Toole's wild pitch. 

Following back-to-back singles by Trent Higginbothem and Tyler York, Kevin Cruz grounded to third baseman Ty Cooler for what looked like out three. Cooler's throw, however, was wide, forcing first baseman Marcus Posluszny off the bag, and his swipe tag was broken up by Cruz, allowing Higginbothem to race home for the second run of the inning. 

Meanwhile, Tallahassee starter Nick Baker pitched three shutout innings then handed things over to the eventual winning pitcher Ethan Bornstein, who worked the next 2.1 innings. 

Pasco-Hernando scored its only run in the sixth. A pair of singles sandwiched around an error by second baseman Chad Mabini loaded the bases and knocked out Bornstein. 

Jose Alonzo greeted Tallahassee reliever Taylor Wright with a run-scoring single to left that plated Robby McCabe. With the bases still loaded, a force out at home cut down the game-tying run, and Posluszny popped out to the catcher to end the inning. 

The score remained 2-1 into the bottom of the eighth when, with two outs and nobody on, Toole issued a walk to Tyler York. Cruz and John Price, Jr., followed with singles - the latter scored York to give Tallahassee a 3-1 lead. The Eagles added an insurance run to cap the scoring. 

Pasco-Hernando brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth to end Dan VanSickle's outing after an inning, but Victor Cole induced Dan Murray into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play. 

The save was Cole's second in as many days and seventh on the season. 

York was 2-for-3 with a run scored, Tallahassee's only player with multiple hits. 

Alonzo went 2-for-2 with an RBI for Pasco-Hernando.