Baseball team rallies in bottom of ninth to win season opener
The Eastern Florida State College baseball team scored three times in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat South Georgia State College Friday at Bruce Bochy Field
The Eastern Florida State College baseball team scored three times in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat South Georgia State College in the season opener Friday at Bruce Bochy Field.
The Titans were down 7-6 with runners on second and third with first baseman Adrian Dominguez coming to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. He blasted the 2-1 pitch to deep center field and when the South Georgia State College outfielder couldn't come up with the catch as the ball went to the wall, scoring both Carlos Cordero and pinch runner Jeremy Rivera to give the Titans the 8-7 victory.
Eastern Florida State College went to the bottom of the ninth inning down 7-5 but Wayne Wilkerson walked and would later score on a wild pitch to make it 7-6.
Evimael Quiles started for the Titans and went four innings, allowing two runs and striking out four.
Down 2-0 in the fourth inning, the Titans tied the game when Hector Mangual blasted his first home run of the season over the left-center field wall. The Titans would score two more runs in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead.
South Georgia State College would score a run in the sixth and then three times in the seventh to take the 6-4 lead.
David Morrissey kept the Titans in the game, striking out two in a row with runners on second and third and then kept the Hawks to just one run in the fifth, recording another strikeout with a runner at third.
Rhys Francis picked up the win in relief, coming into the game with two outs in the seventh and ending the Hawks rally. He would finish the game, allowing one run on two hits and struck out two.
Wilkerson scored twice in the game and Jake Cooper had two hits for the Titans.
Eastern Florida State College will host South Georgia State College for a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday. Jesus Portillo will start the first game with Michael Benedict scheduled to start Game 2. Admission is free to games at Bruce Bochy Field. You can watch the game live online at the EFSC Titans YouTube page.