Indians win, prep for TCC

By Dustin Kent

Published: March 12, 2008

Chipola got a grand slam from Adam Duvall and held off a late charge to pick up a 9-7 victory in seven innings Tuesday night over Wallace, the final game before the Indians begin Panhandle Conference play Friday.

Tuesday’s game was delayed two hours by rain and the teams decided to cut short the scheduled nine-inning affair.

Duvall’s grand slam was part of a seven-run first inning for the Indians, who led 7-2 after one inning.

However, Wallace would make it interesting in the fifth inning, as Daniel Torrente hit his second homerun of the game, followed three batters later by another long ball from Anthony Kopacz to bring Wallace to within a run at 8-7.

Chipola got a run in the bottom of the fifth and reliever J.B. Johnson made the lead stick with 1 1/3 shutout innings of relief for the save.

Johnson came on in the top of the sixth with two out and runners on second and third before retiring his only batter.

In the top of the seventh, Johnson sat the Wallace hitters down in order, getting two strikeouts and a fly out to end the ballgame.

Chipola coach Jeff Johnson said he was impressed with his team’s early offensive display but dismayed by the fact that it nearly didn’t stick.

“Thought first inning was the best job offensively we’ve done this season, with our discipline at the plate, swinging at good pitches...we really played well,” the coach said. “Of course, we also did something we’ve shown we’re capable of doing, which is to get ahead and just sit there on the lead. We just held on. I think that’s just a mentality we’ve got right now.”

With Friday’s Panhandle Conference road opener against Tallahassee looming, Johnson said his team needs to eliminate that issue as soon as possible.

“We’re not going to be able to do that in the conference part of the season,” Johnson said of giving up early leads. “We can’t do that stuff or it will come back to get us. We have to play every inning in our league to do the things want to do.

“I hope our guys understand it. The coaches have to demand it and make them learn to play nine innings instead of four or five innings.”
However, the coach said he didn’t anticipate long term issues with his bullpen.

“I think we’ll be fine once get everybody placed in right spot,” Johnson said. “Here in the last two or three weeks we’ve played so many games that we had guys starting that will be in the bullpen during league play.

“We just have to get all that figured out and we’ll be fine. It’s not a bad issue, just a matter of getting our concentration level right. We have the ability to do it, it’s just a matter of getting it done.”

TCC enters Friday’s game with a 17-11 record, while the Indians are 24-6-1.

Both teams come in hot, with Chipola having won 17 of the last 19 and the Eagles winning eight of nine after a slow start.
Johnson said he expected a major test right off the bat.

“TCC is a team, like always, that does a great job with their pitchers and they’re very deep on mound,” the coach said. “We have to really play because they can shut you down offensively, so you have to take advantage of the opportunities that come up.

“In your first conference games, everybody is going to give you their best shot and it doesn’t matter who’s most talented. It’s the team that plays together the best that will win.  I expect a heck of an effort from those guys. I hope we can reciprocate because that’s what it will take to win.”

Friday’s game begins at 4 p.m. and Saturday’s game at Chipola Field starts at 12 p.m.

Drew Parker will start Friday’s game for the Indians and Ryan Chaffee will take the mound Saturday.