Brett Gwinn walk-off HR completes sweep over Pensacola State

TALLAHASSEE, FL (April 9^th, 2022) – The Eagles picked up two wins in a home doubleheader against Pensacola State, powered by a complete game shutout from Ethan Firoved (Fr., LHP) and a three-run walk-off home run from Brett Gwinn (Fr., RHP/INF). They are now all alone in second place in the Panhandle Conference, one game behind Chipola with eight games left to play. 

Ethan Firoved got the start in game one and pitched seven shutout innings, his longest outing of the season. He allowed just three hits, striking out seven and walking none. 

It took just one run to win the game, and that came in the fourth inning when Josh Pigozzo (So., OF) led off with a double, his 14^th of the season. After he was moved to third base when Marcos Dinges (Fr., C/OF) reached on error, Andrew Fernandez (So., UTL) drove in Pigozzo on a sacrifice fly to left field. 

Firoved's complete game preserved the rest of the Tallahassee pitching staff for game two. Michael Dudley (So., RHP) started game two on the mound, and went two innings, allowing two runs. Drew Lang (So., RHP) threw the next three in relief, with Pensacola State adding just one more. Hunter Parris (So., LHP) and Campbell Cleveland (So., RHP) combined to throw the last two innings, keeping the Pirates off the board. Cleveland ended up earning his fifth win of the season. 

Until the seventh inning, the Eagles' bats were mostly contained by Pensacola State, and they didn't score their first run until Andrew Fernandez scored on a wild pitch in the fifth to make it a 2-1 game. The Pirates added an insurance run in the top of the seventh to make it 3-1. 

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Marcos Dinges hit a single to left field, and the very next pitch hit Andrew Fernandez on the foot. Justen Crews (Fr., UTL) reached on a fielder's choice, and Dinges was retired at third base. That brought up Brett Gwinn with two outs and runners on first and second. He launched an 0-1 pitch over the left-center wall to end the game. 

The team piled onto Gwinn as he touched home, celebrating their sixth straight win in conference play. 

"I was struggling this series," said Gwinn after the game, "but in clutch situations that was the only hit I needed."

Gwinn, who felt he was trying to lift the ball too much in previous at-bats, said his goal in the seventh inning was to swing down. "I know it will level out, but just stay down on the ball."

"Ecstatic," said Head Coach Mike McLeod about his emotions after the walk-off win. "I'm just very proud of this team for hanging in there and coming back on a tough day." 

Tallahassee hosts first place Chipola (32-11-1, 11-5) on Monday night at Eagle Field before heading to Marianna for their final regular season game against the Indians. On Saturday, Chipola beat Northwest Florida in both games of their doubleheader, giving the Eagles a two-game lead over the Raiders in the Panhandle Conference standings. 

First pitch on Monday is scheduled for 5:00 and will be streamed here.