The #4 Chipola Indians defeated the Pirates from Pensacola State twice this weekend to improve their record to 36-11-1 overall and 15-5 in the Panhandle Conference. The Indians have won seven consecutive games and nine of their last ten to distance themselves in the race for the Panhandle Conference Championship.
Friday (04/14/22) - Chipola 8, Pensacola 3
Kenya Huggins allowed just five hits over eight innings to pick up his third win of the season. Huggins also struck out ten, a season high for the freshman pitcher, and aloowed just two runs.
The Pirates' runs off Huggins came in the second inning. After Tucker Flint and Cam Collier had doubles in the bottom of the first inning to put the Indians up 1-0, the Pirates answered with a single and a home run to lead off the inning and take a 2-1 lead.
Chipola answered right back in the bottom of the second to retake the lead. Along with singles by Victor Sanchez, Zac Rice, Tucker Flint, and Cam Collier, the Indians took advantage of a pair of walks and an error to plate four runs and move in front of the Pirates, 5-2, through two innings.
In the fourth inning, Cam Collier picked up his third hit in as many at bats, a double, that scored Tucker Flint, who had walked to lead off the inning.
Flint and Collier produced another run in the sixth to put the Indians up 7-2. After Flint led off the inning with a triple, Collier singled to drive in his fourth run of the game.
After the Indians got their final run of the game on a Brando Leroux two-out RBI in the eighth inning, the Pirates pushed a run across in the ninth on a sacrifice fly.
Saturday (04/15/22) - Chipola 4, Pensacola 3
The Indians traveled to Pensacola on Saturday to play their eighth game in ten days. Chipola used a pair of runs in the final two innings to come away with a 4-3 win.
Chipola jumped out to a lead with two outs in the first after Cam Collier was hit by a pitch then scored from first on a double by Shane Lewis.
The Indians added another run in the second after Taylor Clapp reached on a single, moved to second on a single by Zac Rice, then scored from second on a wild pitch.
In the third inning, the Pirates hit a solo home run and took advantage of a Chipola error to tie the game 2-2.
The Pirates got a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to score a run and take the lead.
The score remained 3-2 in favor of the Pirates until the top of the eighth. Tucker Flint was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Brando Leroux singled putting runners at first and third. Shane Lewis' second hit of the day scored Flint and tied the game 3-3.
In the ninth, Taylor Clapp walked with one out and singled with two outs to put runners on first and second to bring up the top of the lineup. Tucker Flint hit a ground ball that sent the Pensacola first baseman scurrying to his right to glove the ball. His toss back to the pitcher was not in time and Clapp came around to score from second for the go-ahead run.
Dylan Eskew came on in the bottom of the ninth to retire the Pirates in order to earn his first save of his career.
Cedric DeGrandpre, throwing in relief of starter Beckett White, picked up the win to move to 7-3 on the season. DeGrandpre allowed a run on two hits and three walks while striking out four.
White made just his second start of the season and pitched three innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out five.