#TCCBaseball takes series opener from ‘Dores

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 14, 2017) - The Tallahassee Community College Eagles defeated the Gulf Coast State College Commodores on Friday, 12-7, to move into sole possession of third place in the Panhandle Conference. Tallahassee improves to 24-21 (9-10 PC) while Gulf Coast State falls to 30-14 (8-11 PC). 

The Eagles stepped up to bat after surrendering two early runs in the top of the first inning. 

With Jordan Curtis and Josh Nothdorft on base, Tanner Thomas delivered a deep shot to centerfield that bounced off the outfield fence. Curtis and Nothdorft both scored, tying the game at 2-2 after the first. 

After two Eagle runs crossed home in the second inning, Tallahassee once again found its rhythm on offense in the third. Leading 4-2 and with Myron Mebane on first base, catcher Aaron Haughton delivered his fifth home run of the season, a two-run homer that hit the scoreboard, to increase Tallahassee's lead to 6-2 after three innings. 

The Eagles would tack on a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings to increase the lead to 8-4. In the sixth, Cole Vann tapped home plate after a wild pitch by Gulf Coast State's Ken Adair that bounced behind the catcher to drive up Tallahassee's advantage to 9-4. 

Gulf Coast would go on to score in the top of the seventh inning, but runs by Curtis and Nothdorft helped extend the Eagles' lead back to 11-5 heading into the eighth. 

Despite a sizable deficit, the Commodores continued to fight. They would score two runs in the ninth inning before Curtis's game ending popup catch in centerfield. 

Brooks Buckler pitched a complete game, his second of the season, and the Eagles' third in the last five games, to finish with the victory. Buckler finished with six strikeouts and improves to 3-5 on the season. 

Thomas and Haughton each finished with three hits to lead the Eagles. Thomas also recorded five RBIs. Haughton finished with two RBIs. 

Mebane, Nothdorft, and Curtis all recorded two hits. Curtis scored a team-high four runs. 

Tucker Rayburn and Vann each finished with a hit.  

Tallahassee scored at least one run in each inning. 

Next up for the Eagles is another matchup with Gulf Coast State at 2 p.m. eastern on Saturday in Panama City.