Big days by Atwell, Kinard not enough as Eagles fall at Pensacola State

PENSACOLA, Fla. (March 14, 2015) – Tyler Atwell and Tyler Kinard each went 2-for-4, scored twice and homered but it wasn't enough for FCSAA No. 9 Tallahassee Community College, who fell 12-5 at Pensacola State College in both teams' Panhandle Conference opener on Saturday afternoon. 

The loss ended a six-game winning streak and dropped the Eagles' record to 18-9 on the season while Pensacola State improved to 19-10. 

Kinard scored the Eagles' first run in the second, courtesy of Matt Olive's single. Unfortunately, for the visitors, it came when facing a 5-0 deficit.

Pensacola State took advantage of three Tallahassee errors in the bottom of the first and turned them into a five-run inning against starter and losing pitcher Chris Elander. The right-hander yielded six runs over four innings, although only two of them were earned. 

Tallahassee played long ball to get back into the game. Atwell hit a two-run shot in the fourth, and Kinard matched him with a two-run blast an inning later to pull the Eagles within a run at 6-5. 

The Pirates answered right back when Armond Upshaw hit a three-run homer in the fifth off reliever Craig Olson. Pensacola State scored another run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to increase its lead to 12-5. 

Cameron Paley, the last of four Tallahassee pitchers, held the Pirates hitless over the final 1.2 innings. 

Despite being touched up for five runs over six innings, Thomas Huston earned the win for Pensacola State. 

The Pirates' Derek Fritz, Upshaw and Trent Belcher combined for eight hits and seven RBIs. 

For Tallahassee, in addition to Atwell and KInard, Ethan Crout was 2-for-5.

Game two of the teams' three-game series is back at Eagle Field at 3 p.m. Sunday.