Indians fall to Miami-Dade in Lakeland to end season
Chipola finished the 2022 season with a record of 41-14-1
Through five innings the Indians and starting pitcher, Kenya Huggins, were in control of their elimination game with Miami-Dade College at the FCSAA State Tournament. An infield error in the bottom of the sixth led to five unearned runs for the Sharks. The runs were all Miami-Dade needed to end the Indians' season as they went on to a 7-2 victory.
The Indians used aggressive baserunning in the third inning to score the game's first runs. After Tucker Flint singled with one out, stole second and moved up to third when the catcher's throw went to centerfield, Brad Grenksoki walked to put runners at the corners. A double steal scored Flint and moved Grenkoski to second. During a twelve pitch at bat by Cam Collier, Grenkoski stole third then scored on a ground ball to short stop, putting the Indians up 2-0.
Miami-Dade cut the lead in half on a passed ball in the fifth but it was the Sharks' five-run sixth inning that defalted the Indians.
After Huggins hit the first Miami-Dade hitter, he was replaced on the mound by Cedric DeGrandpre. After a sacrifice bunt put a runner at second base with one out, a ground ball error tied the game as the Sharks' baserunner was able to score from second. A fly ball, that would have ended the inning without any runs scored, was caught by Chipola short stop, Emanuel Aldoban, for the second out. The Sharks took advantage with three consecutive doubles and a single to go up 6-2.
The Indians failed to get anything going the rest of the game and the Sharks added another run in the eighth inning.
Kenya Huggins had a career-high 13 strikeouts in five innings pitched. He allowed a pair of runs, one earned, on seven hits and three walks.
By the numbers
5 - Hits in the tournament by Brad Grenkoski. Grenkoski was 5-for-7 in the tournament and had two other hard hit balls that were run down by the Miami-Dade outfielders.
13 - Strikeouts by Kenya Huggins in the Miami-Dade game, a career-high.
41 - Wins by the Indians in 2022, the most since 2019.
77 - Home runs by the Indians in 2022; school record is 110 hit in 1999.
959 - total wins at Chipola by head coach Jeff Johnson.