Eagles pick up two big wins against Santa Fe

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 4, 2023) — Picking up two wins against Region 8 foe Santa Fe, TCC improved to 14-4 on Saturday, extending their winning streak to five games. The Eagles are winners of 11 of their last 12 games. TCC finishes the season series against Santa Fe at 2-2 after losing both games in Gainesville. 

James propels Eagles in game one

Kailynn James (RHP/1B, Soph.) got the start in game one and pitched all seven innings for TCC and picked up her third win of the season. 

Santa Fe took an early lead in the top of the first, going up 1-0 on an RBI single from Sydney Fowler. That was the only run James would allow. 

TCC took a 2-1 lead when Brooke Michael (C, Soph.) singled home Brittany Michael (RHP/1B, Soph.) and SheShe Ortiz (INF, Soph.) in the bottom of the third inning. Brooke Michael is now hitting .323 on the season with an .884 OPS. She is third on the team with 9 RBI. 

The Saints threatened in the sixth inning after James walked Bre Hickox to lead off the inning, and she moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. But, with two outs, James struck out Santa Fe DP Ariana Wright to get out of the inning and keep the Eagles in the lead. She retired Santa Fe in order in the seventh, finishing her fourth complete game of the season. 

Ray and Camp combine to keep the Saints at bay in game two

Sydney Ray (LHP, Soph.) and Jolee Camp (RHP, Fresh.) combined to hold Santa Fe to just two runs in game two. Ray got the start but only pitched the first two innings, as was planned, before making way for Camp. Ray recorded four strikeouts in her two innings of work, but gave up a walk and two hits in the second inning, allowing Santa Fe to make it 2-2. 

The Eagles had a 2-0 lead in the first after a Brittany Michael ground out scored Aneyshka Aponte (OF, Soph.), and a Raven Little sac fly to centerfield scored Ortiz. TCC picked up three more runs later in the game, while Camp worked her magic coming out of the bullpen. 

She finished with five innings pitched, allowing no runs on one hit, while walking none and striking out seven. Before the game, head coach Patti Townsend said that Camp was more comfortable when entering the game in relief, and it showed. Camp matched her career-high in innings pitched and set a career-high in strikeouts (7). She is now 3-1 on the season. 

The road ahead

TCC will take two road trips next week, one to Waycross, Georgia to make up a rained-out doubleheader against South Georgia State. Those games will be played on Tuesday, March 7 starting at 1:00 PM. On Thursday, they'll head to Cuthbert, Georgia to play Andrew College in a doubleheader. The first time the two teams met this year, the Eagles won both by a combined score of 26-1. After these two doubleheaders in Georgia, TCC will take a week off before starting Panhandle Conference play on Saturday, March 18 at home against Pensacola State.