"Today was the best we have swung the bat all year at least in the first three innings," said head coach Tim Hill II. "While we didn't do much after the third inning, it was nice to see a lot of guys have some good at-bats. Allan (Gil-Fernandez) had a very good weekend and after a slow start, he is picking it up and swinging the bat well. I look forward to the guys playing well on their home field Tuesday."

 

Hill II would send sophomore Liam Best (0-1, 3.00 ERA) to the mound while Vikings head coach Ross Jones went with freshman Griffin Howe (1-0, 0.00 ERA) to counter.

 

The top of the first inning saw the Manatees open the gates early on offense beginning with a leadoff double by sophomore Luis Garrido. After classmate Jalen Hairston drew a walk, freshman Allan Gil-Fernandez would send a double to center to bring both Garrido and Hairston in before classmate Hayden Gustavson sent a double of his own to bring in Gil-Fernandez. Two batters later, sophomore Preston Wetherell would hit an RBI double to bring in Gustavson before freshman Rex Smith brought in Wetherell with a single to make it 5-0 SCF. After a single by sophomore LT Cockrill, Jones would pull Howe and send freshman Tyler Waters to the mound.

 

Following the Vikings' pitching change, the Manatees would bat around as Garrido would send a triple to right-center to bring in Smith and Cockrill before Hairston drove Garrido in with a single to right and Gil-Fernandez sent Hairston home with an RBI double to make it 9-0 SCF.

 

After the second inning went scoreless, the Manatees would increase the lead to double digit runs thanks to back-to-back RBI singles by Gustavson and freshman Luke Boykin that brought in Hairston and Gil-Fernandez to make it 11-0 SCF.

 

The Vikings would eventually get on the board in the bottom of the fourth as sophomore Andon Lewis sent a three-run homer to center for his first of the season. Best would still fight through and get out of the inning. 

 

The Vikings would add two more runs to the board on the bottom of the sixth as freshman Ben Barrow hit an RBI double and classmate Devin Dizon was hit by a pitch to drive in a run to make it 11-5 still in favor of SCF, but it was they could muster together as the Manatees sealed the win.

 

Best would improve to 1-1 after giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts in four innings. Sophomore Trey Clucas would give up two runs (one earned) on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts in two and a third innings of relief, while freshman Gavyn Bowen threw two-thirds of an inning of relief with one strikeout.

 

Howe would fall to 1-1 after giving up seven runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning.

 

Four Manatees had a multi-hit game. Gil-Fernandez and Gustavson each had three hits apiece. Gil-Fernandez (3-for-5) added two RBI and two runs, while Gustavson (3-for-5) added two RBI, one run and a stolen base.

 

Garrido (2-for-5) and Cockrill (2-for-3) rounded out the order with two hits apiece. Garrido added two RBI and two runs, while Cockrill added one RBI and one run.

 

Hairston (1-for-4, three runs and one walk), Boykin (1-for-3, two RBI), Wetherell (1-for-4, one run) and Smith (1-for-4, one run and one RBI) had the remaining four hits. 

 

Freshman Jackson Toberman lead the Vikings in hitting as he went 2-for-4 with a run, while Lewis was the only Viking with a multi-RBI game as he went 1-for-3 with the two-run home run.

 

Other Visit Panama City Beach Baseball Classic Scores:

Host Gulf Coast State (7-0) defeated Wallace CC-Dothan (3-1) 12-2 in six innings to win the main bracket of their hosted classic.

In the second gold bracket game, Pearl River CC (4-1) shutout Miami Dade (3-4) 14-0.

In the silver bracket, #15 Florence Darlington Tech (2-2) defeated #2 Wabash Valley CC (5-3) 12-10 while RV Chipola (5-3) defeated #16 Florida Southwestern (3-5) 9-5.

In the bronze bracket of the classic,  RV Andrew College (2-3) defeated Chattahoochee Valley CC (0-5) 8-3 while Dyersburg State CC (2-4) defeated #11 McLennan CC (1-3) 6-4.

The 3rd place game between #6 Northwest Florida State (3-3) and Meridian CC (2-1) was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Up Next:

The Manatees return home briefly to Robert C. Wynn Field as they welcome Pasco Hernando State (2-4) Tuesday night, February 6 at 6 pm. Redshirt freshman Palmer O'Beirne (2-0, 0.00 ERA) will be given the nod to start the game.