By: Dustin Kent - JCFloridan.com

The Chipola Lady Indians passed their first test in the FCSAA Gulf District Tournament on Saturday in Pensacola, easing by the State College of Florida Manatees 4-0 thanks to a dominant pitching performance from Jessica Elliott.

The freshman right-hander went the distance and limited the Manatees to just three hits while striking out eight to only one walk.

Chipola's ace only allowed one runner to reach scoring position all game, with Crystal Cyr reaching on a fielder's choice and stealing second with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.

With the win, the Lady Indians moved into the winners' bracket to take on Hillsborough on Saturday night in the final game of the opening day.

Hillsborough opened with a 5-2 win over Tallahassee after rallying for four runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Chipola got on the board early with two runs in the top of the second, with Jenna Reeves scoring from second base on a bunt single by Ciara Jones, and Alyssa Hathcoat scoring from first after an errant throw by Manatees catcher Kat Penn.

The Lady Indians tacked on two more in the fourth when Reeves and Hathcoat led off the inning with consecutive singles and scored on a two-RBI double by Jennifer Cottle.

Chipola had opportunities to score more thanks to 11 hits as a team, but eight runners were left stranded.

Reeves and Hathcoat each had three hits and scored two runs, with Cottle going 2-for-4 with two RBI, Jones 1-for-2 with an RBI, and Katie Harrison and Brashante Dareus both had a hit.

Devon Morrison started in the circle and took the loss for State College of Florida, going six innings and allowing three earned runs on nine hits, a walk, and a strikeout.

Amber Wimmer, Jacey Castro, and Dani-Lynn Darby had the three hits for the Manatees, who were scheduled to play Tallahassee in Saturday night's losers' bracket game.