#TCCBaseball: Eagles take series, but split DH

By Andrew Miller, TCC Sports Information 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 25, 2017) - Following two victories earlier in the week on the road at Pensacola State College, the Tallahassee Community College Eagles split a doubleheader against the Pirates at Eagle Field on Saturday, winning 6-5 in the opener before falling 4-3 in game two. 

In game one of the doubleheader, freshman Cole Vann added to his team-leading RBI tally with a single in the bottom of the first. 

Pensacola State took no time in evening up the score after Peyton Lacoste hit a solo shot over the fence in the top of the second. 

Tallahassee broke things open in the bottom of the third following a two-out rally that resulted in three runs. 

Four consecutive Tallahassee hitters reached base after Josh Nothdorft reached second with two outs. Vann and Tucker Rayburn each had RBI singles in the rally. 

With two more runs in the bottom half of the fourth, Tallahassee took a commanding 6-1 lead. 

Starting pitcher Nick Marchese was cruising, only allowing one earned through five innings. However, things went awry in the sixth. 

Pensacola tacked on four runs in the inning after Marchese and Derick Garcia, who relieved the sophomore, each threw a wild pitch that allowed two of the four runs to score. 

Marchese would finish the game throwing 5.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits while striking out three.   

With a one-run lead in the top of final frame, Garcia pitched around a leadoff single and secured the win, recording his second save of the season in the process. 

In game two of the twin bill, Pensacola was the first on the board, scoring the game's opening run in the top half of the second inning. 

Tallahassee took no time compiling a comeback, scoring two of its own in the bottom half of the second off a sac bunt from Deyvid Silva and a passed ball which scored Nick Blasucci. 

Tallahassee added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth on a Jack Hartman sacrifice fly. 

That insurance run turned out to be much-needed as Pensacola tied things up with two runs in the top of the fifth. 

As it would further result, the Tallahassee insurance run vanished in the top of the seventh when Pensacola took a 4-3 lead, scoring what proved to be the game-winning run. 

Starter Brocks Butler threw a complete game in the loss, tossing seven innings, allowing eight hits and three earned runs while striking out three.

The Eagles, now 20-18 (5-7 Panhandle Conference) on the season, will have a week off before opening a four-game series with Northwest Florida State College.