Baseball coaches, players off to Lakeland for all-star event

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (October 25, 2013) – The Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) hosts its annual Fall Juco Classic Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla., and will feature a total of 15 representatives from Tallahassee Community College. 

The two-day event includes a pair of all-star games between the four conferences that comprise the FCSAA, as well as a sophomore workout for players not participating in the game itself. 

Tallahassee’s players and coaches will be in action on Saturday when the Panhandle Conference All-Stars square off against their counterparts from the Southern Conference. First pitch is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. 

By virtue of winning the 2013 Panhandle Conference Championship, head coach Mike McLeod received the nod to lead the PC All-Stars and will be joined by current assistant Greg Jones and Justin Bruce, who was part of the Eagles’ championship coaching staff last season. 

Seven Eagles will play in the all-star game – sophomores Chad Mabini, Christian Dicks, Ryne Willard, Cody Alling, Ryan Deckert, John Price, Jr., and Bobby Rice. Five additional players are with the team and will participate in the sophomore workout – Cody Borup, Eric Russell, Robert Garcia, Connor O’Brien and Cole Johnson. 

By design, the weekend event is a prime exposure opportunity for the players, who will show off their skills in front of dozens of professional scouts and coaches from four-year schools. 

Saturday’s all-star game will be a 12-inning affair and limited to six batters or three outs in order to avoid big innings or having to make numerous pitching changes.