#TCCBaseball: Eagles take series with Shelton State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 14, 2016) – NJCAA Region 8 No. 1 Tallahassee Community College scored the final seven runs against Shelton (Ala.) State Community College and defeated the Buccaneers, 9-4, to claim the rubber game of the teams' three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Eagle Field. 

Tallahassee improved to 12-2 with the win and has won three of four games since taking over the top spot in the Region 8 Baseball Coaches' Poll. 

Shelton State erased deficits in the first two games of the series, which the teams split. On Sunday, it was Tallahassee's turn to play comeback. 

After spotting Shelton State a first inning run, the Eagles took a 2-1 lead in their first at-bat. 

Leadoff batter Chase Hahnemann homered over the left field fence to tie the game and, later in the inning, Kyle Cavanaugh singled home Zach Featherstone, who had reached with a walk. 

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Bucs plated three runs in the second to knock out starting pitching Thomas Nicoll. 

Tallahassee got a run back in the third on an RBI-groundout by Featherstone then took control of the game with a five-run fifth. 

Tyler Maley was hit by a pitch to lead things off then consecutive singles to Cavanaugh and Manny Chavarria loaded the bases. One batter later, the entire complexion of the inning changed. 

Bret Maxwell hit a grounder to third – and the Bucs were content to concede a run – but a potential double play went awry when Pryce Visintainer's throw sailed over the second baseman's head and into right field. With the bases full and still nobody out, Deyvid Silva's sac-fly scored Cavanaugh from third with the go-ahead run. 

After Mac Wilson beat out a bunt to re-load the bases, a wild pitch plated Chavarria and Kyle Taddeo took care of the final two runs with a single to shallow left-center. 

The Eagles got an insurance run in the seventh when Wilson scored from third on a wild pitch. 

Tallahassee doubled up Shelton State in the hit column, 14-7, led by Chavarria, who was 4-for-4, and Cavanaugh, who was 3-for-4. Taddeo and Wilson had two hits apiece. 

Junior Gorordo (2-0), who came on in relief of Nicoll with two outs in the second, picked up the win with 4.1 innings of work. He and Zach Chappell, who earned the save, combined on 7.1 shutout innings of three-hit relief. 

Tallahassee will return to play at 4 p.m. Wednesday when it hosts Florida State College at Jacksonville. The game can be seen on TCCeagles.com.