Mercy!: Eagles put up 13 runs against Grand Rapids in game one en route to sweep

By Brenden Martin
TCC Sports Information
@brendenmartin28

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 3, 2014) - The Tallahassee Community College Eagles weathered the storm and a 50-minute rain delay to take game one of Monday's double-header against Grand Rapids (Mich.) Community College 13-1.

The Eagles finished the doubleheader sweep with a 3-1 win in game two. 

Tallahassee (19-5) entered Monday's double-header against Grand Rapids on a hot streak, winning five straight games. The Eagles are ranked No. 16 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Baseball Top 20 National Poll and No. 4 in the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) Baseball Coaches' Poll. 

The Eagles did damage early, putting up four runs in the first inning. This came before a weather delay which lasted a duration of 50 minutes. The playful, humorous and creative antics by both teams during the delay were not enough to hinder the relentless offensive attack by the Eagles. 

In the bottom of the third, the Eagle bats exploded. 

Ricky Negron got the inning started with a two-RBI double down the left field line scoring Cody Borup and Matt Olive. The hits would continue as the next batter, Geremy Walton, stepped into the box and ripped a two-RBI single to center scoring Dillon Jayne and Negron. 

Tallahassee would go on to score six in that half inning and was up 11-1 after just three innings of play. The Eagles would go on to tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and that was all she wrote as the Eagles routed Grand Rapids, 13-1. 

Every player in the Eagles' lineup except for one recorded an RBI. Walton finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs while scoring two runs. Olive went 2-for-2 also with two RBIs and scored two runs. Negron went 2-for-3 and finished with three RBIs. 

On the mound, Ryan Deckert had a solid outing. He held Grand Rapids to just one run, which was scored in the first inning. He allowed five hits in five innings of work. He also struck out two. 

In game two, Shaun Herbert tossed a seven-inning complete game as the Eagles finished the sweep with a 3-1 victory. 

The Eagles broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the fifth. 

Christian Dicks' fielder's choice scored Jonathan Burkett with the go-ahead run. Tallahassee tacked on an insurance run when Dicks came home from second on Bobby Rice's two-out single. 

Walton (3-for-3) and Rice (2-for-3) accounted for five of the Eagles' six hits. 

The teams are scheduled to play another doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.