Cesar Franco (20) congratulates Jake Holland after his home run in the third inning gave the Indians a 5-0 lead in game two of the Marianna Regional on Saturday. | photo courtesy of Joseph Daniel Williams
Posted: May 07, 2022
#2 Chipola defeated St. John's River, 11-0 in five innings, on Saturday to sweep the Marianna Regional and move to 41-12-1 on the season. Coach Jeff Johnson's squad will now advance to the Championship Round of the FCSAA/Region VIII Tournament in Lakeland on May 12-15.
The Indians managed just two base runners in the first two innings but broke the game open in the third on their way to the run-rule victory.
In the third, Zac Rice reached on a bunt single and scored from first on Tucker Flint's team-leading, 21st double of the season. Emanuael Aldoban followed with his first of two hits on the day to score Flint to give the Indians a 2-0 lead. With two outs, Shane Lewis and Jake Holland had back-to-back home runs to put Chipola, the visiting team in this game, up 5-0 in the top of the third.
Brad Grenkoski and Zac Rice reached base to lead off the fourth inning and with one out, Emanuel Aldoban picked up two more RBIs to put the Indians up 7-0. After Cam Collier's double moved Aldoban to third, Shane Lewis knocked in his third RBI of the day with a sac fly to center field. Jake Holland once again followed Lewis with a RBI of his own when his single into center field scored Collier and put the Indians up 9-0 after four innings of play.
Chipola loaded the bases to start the fifth after Brad Grenkoski led off with a double, Zac Rice reached on an infield single, and Tucker Flint walked. With one out, Grenkoski scored on Cam Collier's fielder's choice that retired Flint at second. The Vikings' throw to first in an attempt turn the double play was thrown away, allowing Rice to score and giving Chipola the 11-0 advantage.
Kenya Huggins was the winning pitcher in the shutout victory. He allowed 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 7 for his fourth win of the season.
Emmanuel Aldoban led the Indians at the plate with 3 RBI and going 2-4. Cam Collier (2-4, 2 RBI), Jake Holland (2-4, 2 RBI, HR), Cesar Franco (2-2), and Zac Rice (2-3) also had multi-hit games for the Indians.
The Indians will face College of Central Florida at Noon CDT on Thursday in the opening game of the four-team double elimination tournament.
Game Notes
- Shane Lewis broke a tie with Tucker Flint for the team's home run lead with his 15th round-tripper of the the season.
- The Indians scored 11 runs in the both games of the Marianna Regional, the first time the team has tallied double-digits in back-to-back games this season.
- Chipola has hit a home in each of its last six games. The Indians are 15th in the NJCAA with 76 home runs.
- The 11-0 win was Huggins' second complete game of the season and his first shut out.
