TCC Softball now 9-1 in PC after sweeping NWF State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 25, 2014) – Tallahassee Community College swept its fourth Panhandle Conference doubleheader in five tries on Tuesday, downing Northwest Florida State College by the scores of 3-2 and 4-2.

Tallahassee (25-8) is now 9-1 in league play and has won five of its first six games in a crucial stretch of five doubleheaders over the span of eight days. The Eagles will continue the marathon week at Pensacola State College on Thursday with a 5 p.m. eastern doubleheader.

With a strong wind circling throughout the TCC Softball Complex on Tuesday, runs were hard to come by for both teams. The Eagles, however, made the most of their opportunities in each game.

In the opener, Tallahassee answered the Raiders' game-tying run in the top of the seventh with a textbook rally in the bottom half.

Marina Cobbs led things off with a single to right and advanced to second on a perfectly executed sac bunt by Taesha DuBoise. One batter later, the game was over when Danielle Patterson doubled down the left field line to score Cobbs with the winning run.

The game was scoreless into the fifth when Ashley Heath-Smith doubled home DuBoise and Patterson to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Meanwhile, freshman pitcher Mariah Rivera picked up the win in the circle for Tallahassee, scattering five hits and three walks over the seven innings. She struck out seven.

Rivera also factored into the game two decision, recording the final two outs to save the win for starter Ashley Dobson, who went 6.1 innings in Tallahassee's 4-2 win.

Rivera inherited two base runners, as well as the Raiders' Jenn Phillips, who hit a solo homer in the sixth, at the plate. Phillips drew a walk to load the bases and after a fielder's choice scored a run but also retired a base runner at second, a ground out to third baseman Brenda Santana ended the game.

Tallahassee was outhit (11-5) in game two but made the most of its five hits.

The game was again scoreless until the middle innings then in the fourth, Te Reo Powhiri Matautia doubled with one out and scored when Alexis Huss singled up the middle. Later in the inning, Brianna Murillo's two-run homer gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead.

An inning later, Heath-Smith's two-out single plated Cobbs to push Tallahassee's lead to four.

Dobson gave up ten hits in game two but only one run through the first six innings.