By Dustin Kent

Published: March 19, 2008

The Chipola Indians fell to 1-2 in the Panhandle Conference Tuesday night after suffering a crushing 9-6 loss in 10 innings to Pensacola in Marianna.

Kyle Marks hit a three-run homerun in the top of the 10th to propel the Pirates to victory, capping a comeback that saw PJC score the final five runs of the night.

Chipola led 6-4 going into the eighth inning but surrendered a run in the eighth and another in the ninth to allow the game to go into an extra frame.

The Indians’ Drew Parker came on in relief in the seventh inning, retired one batter to get out of the inning, then had two outs with none on in the ninth before eventually surrendering a bloop single to drive in the tying run.

“It was disappointing,” Chipola coach Jeff Johnson said of the loss. “We hadn’t been playing very well coming in, but it seems like we’re playing more not to lose now than we are playing to win.

“We have to find a way to turn that around.”

Chipola split its first league series with Tallahassee before dropping its second Panhandle game Tuesday.

The Indians were set to take on the Pirates again Wednesday night, weather permitting.

Mosies Montero led the Indians offensively with three hits and two RBI.

David Poutier and Robert Beary combined for nine hits in 12 at-bats and five RBI for the Pirates.

R.J. Moye pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief for the win, while Parker took the loss after giving up four earned runs on seven hits in 2 2/3.

Johnson didn’t mince words about his displeasure with his team’s effort of late.

“We’re just not fighting hard,” the coach said. “We’re in a rut, but we better get out of it before it’s too late.”

Johnson said he continues to be troubled by his team’s tendency to give up late leads, making the late innings much more of an adventure than he’s comfortable with.

“We’ve just got to get mentally tougher,” the coach said. “We have to be sharper and tougher-skinned, more determined. We need to start having a better plan at the plate and a better plan on the mound.”

Not that losing to the Pirates is a particularly shameful thing, given PJC’s 19-game winning streak, but Johnson said he would be very curious about how his team responded in Wednesday night’s road game.

“PJC is a very good club, but we know we can play better and we had them beaten,” the coach said. “I’m very interested to see what kind of character we have (in the second game).”