SCF takes series opener from Tallahassee

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 14, 2020) – State College of Florida knocked off Tallahassee Community College, 9-4, on Friday afternoon in game one of the teams' weekend series. 

Tallahassee dropped to 7-5 on the season while State College of Florida evened its record at 6-6. 

The Manatees scored in each of the last five innings to erase a 2-1 deficit, but when Tallahassee matched their single runs in the seventh and eighth innings, the visitor's lead was only 6-4. 

State College of Florida, however, plated three runs in the ninth to pad its lead. 

The Manatees totaled 17 hits off five different Tallahassee pitchers. Allen Roulette (0-1), who came on in the fourth after Tanner Martin started and went three innings, allowed four hits and three runs and was charged with the loss. 

Fittingly, for a game played on Valentine's Day, both teams were in a charitable mood, combining for 12 total errors, however, neither side was particularly effective in capitalizing on the miscues. The teams stranded a total of 23 runners (Tallahassee, 11; State College of Florida, 10), combined for 23 strikeouts (14 by State of Florida pitchers) and hit into five double plays. 

With the game tied at 2-2, the complexion of the game turned in the top of the sixth. 

After a double play erased a leadoff single, Roulette yielded a walk and single, which resulted in a pitching change. Leighton Alley walked the first batter he faced to load the bases but got ahead of the next batter, Remi Patry, who took the 1-2 pitch for what Alley and the home crowd thought was a called third strike. Instead, the pitch was called a ball and, two pitches later, Patry smacked a single up the middle to score two runs and give the Manatees a 4-2 lead. 

Tallahassee had the tying runs on base in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings but couldn't cash in, thanks in large part to inning-ending double plays in the seventh and eighth. 

Bryson Kirksey had three of the Eagles' seven hits. He was 3-for-4 and drove in two runs. 

The teams will wrap up their weekend series at 1 p.m. Saturday.