TCC Softball splits with NWF State, takes over fourth in PC

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 16, 2013) – Marina Cobbs' two-out triple in the bottom of the sixth broke a 2-all tie and plated the eventual game-winning runs in Tallahassee Community College's 4-3 win over NJCAA No. 16 Northwest Florida State College in game two of the teams' Panhandle Conference softball doubleheader. 

Tallahassee (20-24, 4-10 PC) dropped the opener, 8-3, but the split was enough to gain sole possession of fourth place in the Panhandle Conference standings. The Eagles have a one-game lead over Pensacola State College (3-11), who was swept by Chipola College on Tuesday. 

Tallahassee controls its postseason destiny heading into Thursday's regular season finale at Chipola. One win guarantees the Eagles no worse than a fourth-place tie with Pensacola State while a sweep will clinch a berth in the FCSAA's Gulf District Tournament. 

Anything less than a split and Tallahassee will need some help from conference leading Gulf Coast State College, who travels to Pensacola State on Thursday. 

Tuesday's game two win was, arguably, the Eagles' biggest of the season and provided a nice sendoff for sophomores Bianca Gutierrez, Cherise McEnery, Brittany Wright and Kelly Engwall, as well as longtime assistant coach Jennifer McKibben, all of whom were making their final appearance at the TCC Softball Complex. 

Tallahassee loaded the bases with one out in the sixth then tied the game when Engwall, who led off the inning with a walk, raced home from third on Alexis Huss' sac-fly in foul territory down the right field line. 

Krista Garcia and Gutierrez alertly tagged up on the play and advanced a base to move the go-ahead runs into scoring position. Cobbs delivered, blasting an opposite field triple to left center – both runs scored and just like that, the Eagles had a 4-2 lead for Krysta Hoani, who threw all 14 innings on Tuesday. 

The Raiders scored a run in the top of the seventh and had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, but Hoani snuck a fastball past Maude McCourry, who was caught looking to end the game. 

Hoani scattered ten hits in game two but effectively minimized the damage, only allowing single runs in the third, fifth and seventh innings. 

Cobbs went 2-for-4 in the nightcap to lead Tallahassee and complete a 4-for-8 evening. 

In the opener, Northwest Florida State handed Hoani and the Eagles an 8-3 defeat. 

The Raiders led 5-0 before Tallahassee got on the board in the fourth on Huss' RBI-ground out to first. A pair of runs in the fifth got the Eagles within 5-3, but Northwest Florida State got both runs back in the sixth and scored an insurance run in the seventh. 

Game one of Thursday's doubleheader in Marianna will begin at 5 p.m. eastern.