Opening Weekend Sweep!!

1/26/2026 Baseball Recap

AUBURNDALE — The Chipola Indians opened their 2026 season in impressive fashion over the weekend, using timely hitting and strong bullpen performances to sweep a three-game set in Auburndale.

Chipola rallied past Polk State, outlasted South Florida State in another comeback effort, and closed the weekend with a solid win over the College of Central Florida, finishing the trip a perfect 3–0.

Game 1: Chipola 13, Polk State 6

Chipola's weekend began with a dramatic comeback victory over Polk State on Friday, as the Indians erased a six-run deficit with a nine-run outburst in the eighth inning to pull away for a 13–6 win.

Trailing for much of the contest, Chipola finally broke through in the eighth with a parade of clutch hits. Peryn Bland started the rally with an RBI single before an error brought home another run. Jeremiah Gary followed with an RBI double, and Cade Wilkerson added another run-scoring double. Michal Sindelka kept the inning alive with a single, setting the stage for Garrett Harper, who delivered the biggest blow of the night with a three-run home run to left field. Derek Gonzalez capped the inning with an RBI single.

Chipola finished with 13 hits, led by Colin Guerra, Jeremiah Gary, Peryn Bland, and Michael Mullinax, who each collected two hits. Harper drove in three runs, while Mullinax added two stolen bases.

On the mound, Vladil Baldepina earned the win for the Indians. Throwing 2 innings, giving up two hits and striking out two. Aaron Elissalt pitched three innings in relief.

Game 2: Chipola 9, South Florida State 7

The Indians returned to the field Friday and once again found themselves needing a late rally. Chipola defeated South Florida State 9–7 behind a clutch performance from Michael Mullinax, who drove in five runs.

Chipola scored first in the second inning when Anthony Clavet delivered a two-run single. South Florida State answered in the fifth inning, scoring five runs to take a 6–5 lead.

The Indians responded immediately in the sixth. Colin Guerra was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the tying run before Mullinax delivered the decisive blow with a three-run single to give Chipola a 9–6 advantage.

Cannon Feazell earned the win in relief, allowing one run over 2.2 innings. Michal Kovala set the tone early with three scoreless innings and five strikeouts, while the Chipola defense turned two double plays to help preserve the victory.

Game 3: Chipola 9, College of Central Florida 5

Chipola completed the weekend sweep Saturday with a 9–5 victory over the College of Central Florida behind a standout performance from Colin Guerra.

Guerra went 3-for-5 at the plate, homering in the eighth inning and adding two singles earlier in the game. He also drove in a run in the first inning as Chipola jumped out to an early lead. Michael Mullinax added a sacrifice fly in the opening frame.  

The offense, accumulated 11 hits in the game. Jeremiah Gary, Nick Croce, and Anthony Clavet each collected multiple hits for the Indians. 

The Indians put the game away in the eighth with two more runs, highlighted by Guerra's solo home run and a run that scored on a passed ball.

On the mound, Kael Gahan with his first start for the Indians get the win. Striking out five batters in 2.1 innings. Joey Ervin added 2.1 solid innings out of the bullpen. The defense also turned three double plays.

Weekend Summary

Chipola's offense produced consistently throughout the weekend, while the pitching staff limited damage in key situations. The Indians showed resilience in both comeback wins and late-inning execution, outscoring their opponents 31–18 over the three games.

With the sweep, Chipola opened the season with momentum and confidence, relying on balanced contributions from both veteran hitters and the bullpen to secure three victories in as many games.