TCC sweeps Gordon State on Opening Day at Eagle Field

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 7, 2014) – Tallahassee native and World Series Champion David Ross, a catcher for the Boston Red Sox, threw out the day's ceremonial first pitch, then FCSAA No. 4 Tallahassee Community College made its 2014 Eagle Field debut on Friday and swept a doubleheader from Gordon (Ga.) State College, winning 17-3 and 7-3. 

The Eagles have won their first seven games of the season, including four against the Highlanders (0-6), who are still looking for their first win of 2014. Gordon State's six losses have come to Tallahassee and Gulf Coast State. 

On the field, Tallahassee put away the Highlanders in game two with a three-run eighth inning, capped by Cody Borup's two-run homer to left. But it was a defensive gem in the top half of the inning that, arguably, was the biggest play of the night. 

Clinging to a 4-3 lead, Tallahassee reliever Collin Strall, the Eagles' fourth pitcher of the game, put the tying and go-ahead runs on with just one out. The next batter, Jesus Monserrat, hit a liner that had eyes on right field, but second baseman Cole Johnson made a diving catch going to his left for the second out of the inning. One batter later, Johnson fielded Zach Ross' grounder and tagged second for out three to preserve the lead. 

Connor O'Brien pitched around some minor trouble in the ninth to close out the win and give the Eagles the doubleheader sweep. 

Tallahassee got on the board in the second when Kyle Pausche doubled to deep right-center, scoring Quincy Nieporte. Later in the frame, a sac-fly by Ricky Negron plated Borup for a 2-0 lead. 

The Eagles added single runs in the third and fourth to stake starting pitcher Shaun Herbert to a 4-1 lead. 

Gordon State put two runs on the board against Herbert (2-0) in the fifth, his last inning of work, but he still came away with his second win of the season. 

Offensively, Pausche led Tallahassee by going 3-for-4, finishing a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. Borup was 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored. 

In the opener, Tallahassee jumped on Gordon State starter Cody Mazzatenta for eight runs, all earned, in the bottom of the first.  

A leadoff walk to Geremy Walton set things in motion for the Eagles, who sent 12 men to the plate in the frame.

With three runs already in, Tallahassee, with a little help from the Highlanders, broke the game open when catcher Matt Olive stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. 

Gordon State right fielder Dylan Dore misplayed the short hop off Olive's liner, which scooted past Dore, allowed the bases to clear – scoring Nieporte, D.J. McKnight and Robert Henderson - and give the Eagles a 6-0 lead.   

Olive, along with Walton, later scored on Ryne Willard's double down the left field line to cap the first inning outburst.  

The Eagles eventually led 11-0 before Gordon State got to Tallahassee starter and winning pitcher Victor Cole in the fourth.  

Cole no-hit the Highlanders for 3.1 innings before allowing a double to Chase Johnson. The next batter, Monserrat, reached base when third baseman Ricky Negron mishandled a slow dribbler. The miscue eventually extended the inning for the Highlanders, who plated both runners on Zane Conlon's double to the gap in right-center. 

Cole (2-0) exited after five innings and allowed only two hits. Both runs allowed were unearned and he struck out eight.  

Ben Levine pitched the final two innings for Tallahassee. 

The Eagles put the game away with two runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth. 

McKnight led Tallahassee's 13-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Willard (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Johnson (2-for-2, 2 RBI) and Olive (2-for-3, 2 RBI) also had multi-hit games for the Eagles.  

The Eagles will return to action at 4 p.m. Tuesday when they host South Georgia State College.