Sweep!: Santana delivers walk-off hit in game one, Dobson shuts out Gulf Coast State in game two

By Brenden Martin
TCC Sports Information
@brendenmartin28

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 31, 2014) - The Tallahassee Community College Eagles swept Gulf Coast State College in Monday's Panhandle Conference softball doubleheader, 7-6 and 6-0, to extend their winning streak to nine games.  

Tallahassee (29-8, 13-1 PC) entered Monday's doubleheader against Gulf Coast State on a tear, having won 11 of its last 12 games overall. The Eagles are ranked No. 2 in the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) Softball Coaches' Poll and No. 6 in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Softball Poll. 

Monday's doubleheader was originally scheduled for Saturday, March 29, but was postponed due to inclement weather. 

The Eagles struck first in game one, opening up an early lead in an offensive explosion. Tallahassee batted around and put up six runs in the first inning. 

Brenda Santana broke open the game when she dug in and belted a three-run shot over the fence in deep center, scoring Te Reo Powhiri Matautia and Alexis Huss. 

A passed ball and error accounted for the Eagles' final two runs of the inning. Gulf Coast State catcher Jordan Campbell mishandled a pitch from Haley Elver, allowing Dominique Davis to scamper home from third. Trying to beat Davis to the plate, Campbell's throw ricocheted off Elver's glove and Marina Cobbs raced home for a 6-0 advantage. 

The best opportunity for Gulf Coast State to get on the scoreboard came in the top of the fifth inning as the bases were loaded with nobody out. After Eagle pitcher Mariah Rivera recorded the first out of the inning with a strikeout, Gulf Coast State tacked on three runs thanks to a couple of bloop singles just past the infield. Rivera would sit down another batter and get out of the inning without any further damage. 

In the top of the seventh inning, Tallahassee was one out away from the win but Gulf Coast State shortstop Megan Griffith tied the game and eventually sent it into extra innings with a dramatic three-run homer to center. 

Game one was filled with many clutch moments but none bigger than what occurred in the bottom of the ninth inning. Santana, who already homered back in the first, stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. She sent a line drive back over the pitcher's head that dropped into shallow center as the winning run crossed home plate. 

The Eagles took game one with a 7-6 walk-off victory behind Rivera's complete game effort. She struck out nine. 

Santana finished 2-for-5 with four RBI. Cobbs and Danielle Patterson had three hits each to pace Tallahassee's 15-hit attack. 

Tallahassee's bats did not cool down in game two. 

Cobbs put the Eagles on the board with a bases-loaded RBI-single in the second. That opened the floodgates as Tallahassee pushed across four more in the inning. 

Leading 3-0, Ashley Heath-Smith hit a sac-fly to center to make the score 4-0. That play was followed by an RBI-single to right off the bat of Matautia. 

The Eagles tacked on another run in the third and completed the sweep of Gulf Coast State by taking game two 6-0. 

The big story from game two was the outstanding performance in the circle from Ashley Dobson. She pitched a complete-game, two-hit shutout and struck out eight. 

Cobbs was solid at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and scoring once. Brianna Murillo also went 2-for-3 and scored a run. 

The Eagles will get some time to rest before their next set of games on Friday, April 4 when they travel to Marianna, Fla., to take on Chipola College in a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is slated for 5 p.m. eastern.