Indians Sweep Home Opener

Playing their first games on Jeff Johnson Field since March 2020, the Indians used big late innings to win a pair of games in their home opener. In game one, Chipola would score 7 unanswered runs in their last three at bats to break a 3-3 tie and defeat Wallace-Dothan 10-3. Against Coastal Alabama North in game two, the Indians would score 4 runs in the sixth inning to break up a tie game and win 8-4.

Game 1  

Alfonso Villalobos hit his second home run of the season, a three-run shot, in the second inning to erase an early 2-0 deficit to the Govs and put the Indians up 3-2. Wallace Dothan knotted the game up at three in the top of the third inning thanks to a Chipola error.

The Indians pulled away for good with two runs in the fourth inning. In the fifth inning, Myles Austin continued his hot start to the season with a solo homerun to lead off the inning. The Indians would score two more runs in the inning with hits from Cameron Gray, Dylan Goldstein, and Matthew Corlew. Chipola would add two more in the sixth.

Jaylen Nowlin (2-0) picked up his second win in relief. In 3.1 innings, Nowlin allowed zero hits, zero runs, and struck out five.

The losing pitcher for the Govs was Clete Hartzog. Hartzog surrendered five runs on five hits in three innings of work, striking out four and walking one.

Andrew Baker started the game for the Indians, going 3.2 innings and allowing three runs on one hit and striking out eight.

The Indians had 11 hits in the game with Lyle Miller-Green, Cameron Gray, and Austin contributing multiple hits. Miller-Green was 3-for-3 to lead the Indians in game one.

Game 2

As was the case in game one, the long ball broke up a tie score to push the Indians to an 8-4 victory. With the score locked up at 4-4 in the sixth inning, Dylan Goldstein and Mark Black hit a pair of 2-run homeruns to put away their persistent opponent.

The Indians jumped out to an early 3-0 lead scoring one in the first and two in the second. In the first, Gray hit a sac fly to score Austin who had led off the bottom half of the inning with a double. In the second inning, Black made the score 2-0 with an RBI double. The Indians would add another run in the second on an error.

In the fourth inning both teams would put runs on the board. The Eagles took advantage of a couple of walks and an error to score two and bring the score within one. The Indians would get one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning when Goldstein's sac fly scored Matthew Corlew who had led off the inning with a triple.

Single runs from Coastal Alabama North would tie the score at four in the sixth inning, again taking advantage of walks and a Chipola error. The home runs from Goldstein and Black in the sixth would be enough to finally put the Eagles away.

Cedric De Grandpre (1-0) pitched 2.1 innings in relief to get the win for the Indians, allowing two hits and two runs while striking out six. Luis Guerrero started the game for Indians. The righthander went three and two-thirds innings, allowing two runs on two hits and striking out six.

David Castillo led Chipola at the plate going 3-3 with a double. Black and Corlew also had multiple hits for the game.

Chipola moves to 4-1 on the season. Tomorrow's schedule: 

Team Notes

• Indians have started off the season hot at the plate. As a team, Chipola is carrying a .373 team batting average and is outscoring their opponents 46-19.
• Myles Austin was 3-6 at the plate on the day but due to his hot start last weekend, his average actually dropped to .692. He has an on base percentage of .733.
• David Castillo's 3-3 day moved the freshman's batting average up to .545.
• Matthew Corlew raised his batting average to .500 after his 3-4 day.
• Jaylen Nowlin was impressive once again coming on in relief in game one. With two appreances and seven innings pitched, Nowlin has not given up a hit and struck out 10 with only 3 walks.
• Chipola pitchers have a combined ERA of 2.50. In 5 games, Indian pitchers have a total of 49 strikeouts.

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