Gulf Coast rallies late to beat #TCCBaseball

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (April 20, 2016) – Leading 5-2, Tallahassee Community College surrendered four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and dropped a 6-5 decision to Gulf Coast State College on Wednesday evening in Panhandle Conference baseball action. 

Tallahassee was poised to move into the driver's seat in the race for the PC Wild Card, with Northwest Florida State College falling at Pensacola State College, 11-7. Instead, both teams remain tied for third place in the league standings with identical 7-11 records. 

As a result, Tallahassee (33-17) must sweep its season-ending doubleheader from the Raiders in order to claim the Wild Card berth. The teams are scheduled to play in Niceville at 5 p.m. eastern Friday and back at Eagle Field at 2 p.m. eastern on Saturday. 

When pinch-hitter Tyler Kinard singled home Kyle Cavanaugh and Ethan Crout in the top of the eighth, the Eagles led 5-2. Things came unraveled in the bottom half, however. 

Two walks and a single loaded the bases with nobody out. Following a pitching change, a passed ball and throwing error plated the first two runs of the inning. Josh Falk singled home the tying run and a sac-fly scored what proved to be the game-winner. 

Tallahassee had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position in its final at-bat but Cavanaugh struck out to end the game. He finished 2-for-4. 

Bret Maxwell was 2-for-4 with a solo homer. Deyvid Silva was also 2-for-4.