Photo by Heidi Lee Kearney
Posted: Feb 22, 2023
The College of Central Florida Patriots completed a perfect 4-0 homestand when Kainen Jorge erupted for two home runs and six RBIs to lead the Pats to a 13-11 win over the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Stallions (5-10). The win improved the #1 FCSAA ranked Patriots to 16-1 on the season.
Austin Eppley got the Patriots on the board in the bottom of the first inning when he drove home Bradke Lohry, who had singled. With the score tied at 1-1 in the second inning Lohry then connected on his seventh home run of the season and his fourth HR in his last three games to make it a 3-1 game Patriots on top. ABAC was able to tie the game up in the third courtesy of two CF errors and two hits. Jorge then connected on his first home run of the game in the third inning to give the lead back to the Pats at 6-3. An Edwin Toribio RBI double made it 7-3 headed to the fourth inning.
ABAC's Joe Fisher drove one over the right field wall to get the Stallions within three of the Pats, but in the bottom of the inning Jorge slammed his second three run home run of the game to up the Pats lead to 10-4. Aaron Saltsman drove home Eppley in the sixth inning to make it an 11-4 game. The seventh inning saw both teams score two runs and with the score 13-6 Patriots the game headed to the eighth inning.
In the top of the eighth the Stallions fought hard to get back into the game by scoring five runs. Wyatt Talik singled home a run, an error by Toribio allowed the second run to score, then Dylan Taylor tripled home two more to make it a 13-10 game. After a couple strike outs by closer Cam Schuelke, a passed ball scored Taylor and it was a two-run ball game. Schuelke then strikes out three batters in the top of the ninth to earn his fifth save of the season and give the Patriots the win.
Andrew Herrmann started for the Patriots and went 3.1 innings allowing four hits, one earned run with five strike outs. Keller Eberly (3-0) got the win in relief throwing 2.2 innings allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out five Stallions. Schuelke ended his day tossing the last two innings allowing no hits, no walks and striking out six batters.
Leading hitters: Lohry 2-5, 3 runs, 2 RBI, HR / Jorge 3-5, 3 runs, 6 RBI, 2 HR / Eppley 1-1, 3 runs, RBI
CF will hit the road again this upcoming weekend with a single game Friday, 4:00 PM at ABAC in Tifton, Georgia and a double header on Saturday 12 PM & 3 PM against South Georgia State College in Douglas, Georgia.