PREVIEW: CHIPOLA & INDIAN RIVER OPEN STATE TOURNAMENT IN TAMPA
#4 Chipola will take on #1 Indian River at noon central at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. – The Chipola baseball team enters the FCSAA Division I/NJCAA South Atlantic District Baseball Championships with a record of 34 wins and 17 losses and winners of six of their last seven games. The Indians are ranked 20th nationally and come into the tournament in Tampa as the #4 seed. Chipola made it to the state tournament by sweeping Miami Dade in the Marianna Regional, 14-5 and 11-5.
Indian River State (39-12), the Indians' first opponent in the state tournament is the #1 seed in Tampa and ranked tenth in the latest NJCAA Poll. In game one of the Fort Pierce Regional, the Pioneers scored two runs in the eighth and three runs in the ninth to rally from a 6-1 deficit against Pensacola State. IRSC scored a run in the tenth to walk off the Pirates, 7-6, then went on to win game two, 11-4, and punch their ticket to Tampa. Indian River enters the state tournament having won nine of their last ten games.
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MORE TOURNAMENT INFORMATION (including results & schedule)
WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN GAME ONE
- HOT HOT HOT: IRSC comes into the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country. After starting the season 13-7 and losing their first two Citrus Conference series, the Pioneers did not lose another conference series the rest of the year, closed out the regular season 24-5, and swept their regional 2-0.
- WARNING TRACK POWER: Chipola has only hit 37 home runs this season in 51 games as compared to the FCSAA's leader, Florida SouthWestern, with 81. However, with 27 home runs in 51 games, Indian River has hit less than Chipola. Giving up the long ball as been one of the Indians' weakness this season having surrendered 49 blasts. The Pioneers have also given up more home runs than they hit. IRSC opponents hit 36 round-trippers this season. With the deep alleys and 408 feet to centerfield at George M. Steinbrenner Field, don't expect there to be many leave the park today. Down the lines will be the best spots for the Indians and Pioneers to sneak one out. The line in left is 318 feet and, in right, it's 314 feet. The dimensions of the GMS Field are the exact dimensions of Yankee Stadium. The famous "short porch in right" could favor the Indians with their plethora of left-handed hitters.
- OUCH: In a painful stat, the Indians are 1st in the FCSAA and 6th in the NJCAA in being hit by pitch. Chipola batters have been hit by pitch 130 times, with 14 of those coming in their last two games against Miami Dade. The Pioneers' pitching staff averages one hit batter per game.
- DOUBLED UP: Chipola has hit into more double plays than anyone in the FCSAA and only three teams in the NJCAA have hit into more. The Indians have hit into 37 twin-killings this season.
- MAKING IT TOUGH: Indian River brings a 3.92 ERA into today's game, good enough for second in the FCSAA and 14th in the NJCAA. Friday's expected starter, Angelo Smith, a sophomore right-hander is 6-2 this season with an ERA of 5.01. Smith has struck out 79 in 64.2 innings pitched this season but does lead the team in home runs surrendered with 7.
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