Baseball Upsets McLennan to Open Panama Classic

Panama City, Fla - The SCF baseball team (2-2) got back to even in the standings as they defeated #11 McLennan Community College (0-1) 11-9 in seven innings on day one of the three-day Visit Panama City Beach Baseball Classic at Publix Sports Park. As a result, the Manatees advanced to the quarterfinals in the winner's bracket of the classic.

"The team did a good job swinging the bats today," said head coach Tim Hill II. "The win might have been ugly, but the guys fought hard to get the win."

Hill II sent sophomore Brandon Clarke (0-0, 0.00 ERA; #8 JUCO prospect) to the mound to start for the Manatees, while McLennan head coach Tyler Johnson went with freshman Gavyn Jones (0-0, 0.00 ERA; #2 JUCO Prospect).

The top of the first inning was shaky for Clarke as the Highlanders opened on the board first as freshman Daiten Lachance would send a three-run homer to left for his first collegiate of the season. They would then extend the lead to 4-0 after sophomore Xander McAfee scored at the top of the second before the Manatees brought their first run of the game in the bottom half of the second as freshman Alan Gil-Fernandez would bring in classmate Hayden Gustavson with a single to center.

At the top of the third, the Highlanders would bring the lead back up to four as freshman Marcus Smith would send an RBI single to left to make it 5-1 McLennan. It would signal the end for Clarke as Hill II would send freshman Trevor Zeigler to come in for relief in success

In the bottom half of the inning, the Manatees would start waking up their bats beginning with a leadoff single by sophomore Jalen Hairston and a walk by freshman Pip Smalley. After freshman Luke Boykin would draw a walk to load the bases, Johnson would pull Jones and send freshman Clayton Freshcorn to come in for relief. 

After the pitching change, before Gustavson was hit by a pitch and brought in Hairston for the Manatees' second run. One batter later, Gil-Fernandez would follow with a bases-loaded two-run single to bring in Smalley and Boykin before sophomore Santiago Ordonez reached on a fielding error to reload the bases. Freshman Daniel Hartley would then tie the game at 5-5 after reaching on a fielder's choice to bring in Gustavson.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Highlanders would retake the lead after an RBI single by sophomore Landon Underhill and an RBI double by freshman Phoenix Meza to take the lead 8-7. In the bottom half of the fifth, the Manatees would return the favor beginning with a leadoff single by Ordonez. After Hartley drew a walk and sophomore Luis Garrido hit a single to load the bases, Johnson would pull sophomore Nick Greaney, who came in for Freshcorn, and send classmate Connor Zaruba to the mound.

After the pitching change, Hairston would send a single to center to bring in Ordonez and Smalley would get hit by a pitch to bring in Hartley and tie the game at 9-8 before Boykin brought in Garrido with a sacrifice fly to give the Manatees back the lead.

At the top of the sixth, following a one out walk, Hill II would pull Ziegler and send redshirt freshman Palmer O'Beirne to come in for relief. The Highlanders would tie the game at 8-8 after an RBI single by Underhill. In the bottom half of the sixth, the Manatees would not go away without a fight as they would try to take the lead beginning with a one-out double by Ordonez before freshman Devan Meran would come in to pinch run. Meran would then advance to third on a groundout before Garrido drew an intentional walk to put runners on for Hairston as the Winter Haven native would start to extend the lead with an RBI single to bring in Meran before Smalley hit an RBI single of his own to right to bring in Hairston for a 11-8 SCF lead.

At the top of the seventh, the Highlanders would add their final run on the board off of an RBI single by freshman Andrew Mac Rose, but it was all they could produce as the Manatees would seal the upset win.

Clarke and Jones would both earn no-decision in their starts. Clarke would throw two innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts, while Jones gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts in two innings.

O'Beirne would get the win and improve to 2-0 after giving up one unearned run on two hits with one walk and four strikeouts in one and two-thirds innings of relief. Zeigler gave up three runs (one earned) on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts in three and a third innings of relief.

Greaney would be hit with the loss for the Highlanders after giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.

Five Manatees had a multi-hit game. Hairston and Smalley would lead the way in hitting as they each had three hits. Hairston (3-for-5) would add two runs and one RBI, while Smalley (3-for-3) added one run, one walk and two RBI.

Gustavson, Gil-Fernandez and Ordonez rounded out the order as they each had two hits apiece. Gustavson (2-for-3) added two RBI and two runs, while Gil-Fernandez (2-for-4) added one RBI and Ordonez (2-for-3) added two RBI, two runs and a walk.

Garrido (1-for-4, one run) had the remaining hit, while Boykin (one run, one RBI and one walk) and Hartley (one run, one RBI and one walk) also contributed.

For the Highlanders, Mac Rose, Meza and Underhill each had two hits while Lachance lead the way offensively as he went 1-for-5 with a home run and four RBI.

Other Visit Panama City Beach Baseball Classic Scores:

Gulf Coast State (4-0) defeated Pearl River CC (1-1).

St. John's River State (6-0) defeated Dyersburg State CC (0-4) 5-2.

#2 Wabash Valley CC (5-0) defeated RV Andrew College (1-1) 11-2.

#6 Northwest Florida State (2-2) defeated #16 Florida Southwestern (2-3) 6-3.

Wallace CC-Dothan (1-0) defeated Meridian CC (0-1) 8-7.

#15 Florence Darlington Tech (1-0) defeated Chattahoochee Valley (0-1) 13-3.

RV Chipola (3-2) defeated Miami Dade (2-2) 4-1.

Up Next:

The Manatees will look to continue to play in the winner's bracket as they will face Wallace-Dothan CC in the second round of the winner's bracket at 12 pm EST (11 am CST). Following that game, the Manatees will play a second game after. Sophomore Ed Wagner will be given the nod to start game two, while classmate Bryan Gomez is given the nod for game three.

If the Manatees win, then they will play the winner between RV Chipola and #15 Florence Darlington Tech in the semifinals. If they lose, then they play the same teams in the Gold Bracket.

Bracket Settings:

Winner's Bracket -

Gulf Coast State vs St. John's River State

#6 Northwest Florida State vs #2 Wabash Valley CC

SCF vs Wallace CC-Dothan

#15 Florence Darlington Tech vs RV Chipola

Gold Bracket -

Pearl River CC vs Dyersburg State CC 

Andrew College vs #16 Florida Southwestern

McLennan CC vs Meridian CC

Chattahoochee Valley vs Miami Dade