Big days by Atwell, Kinard not enough as Eagles fall at Pensacola State
PENSACOLA, Fla. (March 14, 2015) – Tyler Atwell and Tyler Kinard each went 2-for-4, scored twice and homered but it wasn’t enough for FCSAA No. 9 Tallahassee Community College. The Eagles fall 12-5 at Pensacola State College in both teams’ Panhandle Conference opener on Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles loss ends a six-game winning streak. The Eagles fall to 18-9. Pensacola is 19-10. Matt Olive's single in the second, scored Tyler Kinard. However, the Eagles still trailed 5-1.
Pensacola State took advantage of three Tallahassee errors in the bottom of the first and turned them into a five-run inning against starter and losing pitcher Chris Elander. The right-hander yielded six runs over four innings, although only two of them were earned.
Tallahassee played long ball to get back into the game. Atwell hit a two-run shot in the fourth, and Kinard matched him with a two-run blast an inning later to pull the Eagles within a run at 6-5.
The Pirates answered right back when Armond Upshaw hit a three-run homer in the fifth off reliever Craig Olson. Pensacola State scored another run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to increase its lead to 12-5.
Cameron Paley, the last of four Tallahassee pitchers, held the Pirates hitless over the final 1.2 innings.
Despite being roughed up for five runs over six innings, Thomas Huston earned the win for Pensacola State.
The Pirates’ Derek Fritz, Upshaw and Trent Belcher combined for eight hits and seven RBIs.
For Tallahassee, in addition to Atwell and Kinard, Ethan Crout was 2-for-5.
Game two of the teams’ three-game series is back at Eagle Field at 3 p.m. Sunday.
***TCC Athletics
