Chipola beats erring Eagles 12-4 in 8 innings

By Dustin Kent

Published: April 4, 2008

Chipola took advantage of five Tallahassee errors Friday night to post a 12-4 win in eight innings at Chipola Field.

The Indians improved to 8-3 in Panhandle Conference play with the win, while the Eagles fall to 5-6.

The teams were scheduled to play Saturday at 1 p.m. in Tallahassee, though rain postponed the game until today at 1 p.m.

“It was a sloppy game and helped us there in the first inning,” Chipola coach Jeff Johnson said. “We did some good things offensively but they helped us as well.
“We’ll take a win, though. It wasn’t pretty, but I told the guys I’d take nine more just like it.”
Chipola got six runs in the first inning on just one hit, taking advantage of three errors, two walks, a passed ball and a wild pitch by TCC.

Jordan Lucas got the Indians on the board first with a two-run home run to left field off of Eagles starter Tanner Moore to tie the game 2-2.

A throwing error by Moore on a Marc Bourgeois bunt was followed by yet another error, this time a dropped fly ball in left hit by Moises Montero, to allow Bourgeois to score.

Walks to Carlos Moncrief and Edmond Sparks loaded the bases for Daniel Jones, who watched a Moore delivery sail wide of the plate, allowing Montero to score.

The throw back to the plate got past Moore, which allowed Adam Duvall to score from second for a 5-2 lead.

Jones then reached on a third base error that brought Sparks to the plate for the sixth run of the inning.

TCC added a run in the second and another in the third to draw to within a pair of runs, but Chipola got the runs back with a two-run fifth.

Jones made it 7-4 with an infield single that brought Montero to the plate.

Moncrief then scored on a wild pitch by Ben Nobles for an 8-4 Indians advantage.

Meanwhile, Chipola reliever Jason Bailey entered in the fifth inning and put a lid on the Eagles’ offense, striking out two and surrendering no runs in 2 2/3 innings.

“Bailey has thrown well all year for us,” Johnson said. “Sometimes he struggles with his command, but he did a great job for us (Friday). We need guys like that to keep stepping up.”

J.B. Johnson followed Bailey and served up a scoreless eighth.

A two-run homer by Montero in the sixth inning made it 10-4 Chipola and an RBI single by Moncrief in the eighth, followed by an RBI double by Duvall, ended the game.

Johnson said he was happy with his team’s offensive execution Friday, particularly in the middle innings.

“I think that was a positive,” the coach said. “We put on the bunt a couple of times and did a good job with it.
“I told our coaches that we needed one of those games where we just pitch it, play good defense and manufacture some runs just so we could see that we can do that and win games. Hopefully, the kids get some confidence from that and we can start making some more strides.”

Kyle Regnault started the game for Chipola but pitched just 1 2/3 innings before giving way to Jason Townsend, who gave up a run in 2 2/3 innings.

If Chipola wins again today, the Indians can put four games distance between themselves and TCC and possibly 3 1/2 games between Chipola and third-place North Florida if the Sentinels lose to Pensacola, as they did Friday night.

“I think it would be big,” Johnson said of sweeping the TCC series. “If we go over and play well, get to nine wins, that’s big. Every win we get puts us in better position to get to the playoffs, where we can wipe the slate clean and see what happens from there.”

Chipola will face PJC Tuesday in Pensacola at 5 p.m. before hosting the first-place Pirates Wednesday at 5 p.m.

“No game is better than the other and we try to get every one we can get,” Johnson said. “But if we can’t get ready on Tuesday and Wednesday, there’s something wrong with us.”