TCC splits with Chipola behind Santana, Rivera

Read a playback of today's live game blog

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 21, 2014) – Brenda Santana hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning and that was enough for Mariah Rivera, who held Chipola College to three hits and struck out ten in Tallahassee Community College's 3-1 victory in game two of the teams' Panhandle Conference doubleheader on Friday evening. 

Chipola won game one, 7-6, in nine innings. 

Santana's home run capped a first inning rally that began with the bases empty and two outs. Te Reo Powhiri Matautia singled and after Alexis Huss reached base Santana hit a rope over the left centerfield fence to stake Rivera to a three-run lead. 

Chipola loaded the bases with one out in the second but, after allowing one run to come home, Rivera pitched her way out of trouble with a strikeout and fielder's choice. 

Rivera shut out the Indians the rest of the way but had to escape one final jam to nail down the win and help the Eagles gain the split. She walked two batters in the seventh which brought Brashante' Dareus to the plate representing the go-ahead run. 

In game one, Dareus delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit when her solo homer in the ninth broke a 6-all tie. Rivera, however, won the battle in the nightcap, striking out Dareus to end the game. 

Tallahassee's game two win came on the heels of a 9-inning loss in game one that snapped the Eagles' four-game Panhandle Conference winning streak. 

Clinging to a one-run lead, Huss hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to give starting pitcher Ashley Dobson some insurance and a 6-3 advantage. 

Before Dobson retired a batter in the seventh, however, Chipola tied things up. With two runners on, Katie Harrison hit a three-run homer to even the score at six. 

Dareus broke the tie with the solo homer in the ninth, taking Dobson's first pitch over the scoreboard in left field. 

In its final at-bat, Tallahassee had the tying and winning runs in scoring position, but Taesha DuBoise grounded out to short to end the game. 

Tallahassee (21-8, 5-1 PC) returns to action on Sunday when it travels to Gulf Coast State College for a 2 p.m. eastern doubleheader.