TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (TCC Athletics) – An eighth-inning passed ball scored Devyid Silva from third base with the tie-breaking run and Region 8 No. 1 Tallahassee Community College defeated Shelton (Ala.) State Community College, 7-6, in Friday’s series opener between the longtime rivals.
The Eagles improved to 11-1 and will send reigning national pitcher of the week Craig Olson (2-0, 0.00 ERA) to the hill in Saturday’s second game of the series.
After watching Shelton State rally from a 6-0 deficit to tie the game with two runs in the seventh, Tallahassee scored the game-winner in its final at-bat.
With runners at second and third, Bryan Scheker struck out, but the ball zipped past Shelton State catcher Jordan Lowe, allowing Scheker to reach first and Silva to race home from third.
After misfiring on the save opportunity, Rion Murrah picked up the win to improve to 2-1.
Tallahassee jumped on Buccaneers starter Mason Duke for six runs in the second, highlighted by Zach Featherstone’s grand slam, but relievers Mason Friedman and Alex Hammond limited the Eagles to just two hits over 5.1 innings and held them scoreless until the eighth inning.
Shelton State began its comeback with three runs in the fifth followed by one in the sixth and two in the seventh.
Six players collected one hit apiece for Tallahassee.
Featherstone was 1-for-4 with four RBIs. Ethan Crout and Mac Wilson also drove in runs for the Eagles.
