Tallahassee scratches past Northwest Florida State, 3-2, in series opener

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 24, 2014) – Christian Dicks drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth to score Ryne Willard with what proved to be the winning run in Tallahassee Community College's 3-2 win over Northwest Florida State College in game one of the teams' three-game Panhandle Conference baseball series. 

Tallahassee (32-8) is now 4-3 in PC play while Northwest Florida State (21-8, 3-1) suffered its first loss of the conference season. 

Northwest Florida State reliever Brandon Nagem, who inherited a runner at second and a 2-2 count to Willard with nobody out, ended up walking the Eagles' shortstop but almost escaped the inning unscathed. Following a force out at third and ground out to first, the Eagles had two runners in scoring position with two down. With first base empty, Northwest Florida State head coach Doug Martin elected to intentionally walk Quincy Nieporte and go after Christian Dicks, who was hitless in three previous at-bats. 

Dicks prevailed in the lefty vs. lefty battle, however, drawing a walk, which enabled Willard to trot home from third with the go-ahead run. 

Logan Elliot came on in the bottom of the ninth and retired the Raiders in order for his fifth save. 

Tallahassee's eighth-inning rally made a winner out of Collin Strall (4-0), who gave up one run and three hits over four innings of work. He took over for starter Shaun Herbert who tossed the first four innings. 

The Eagles jumped in front 1-0, scoring in their first at-bat and, after the Raiders tied the game in the fifth, regained the lead in the sixth. Nieporte's single to left scored Bobby Rice, who reached base on a one-out walk. 

Tallahassee won despite being outhit, 10-5. 

D.J. McKnight was 2-for-4 and was the only Eagle who had multiple hits. Nieporte was 1-for-3 with two RBI. 

Game two of the series will be at 6 p.m. eastern Wednesday in Niceville, Fla.