Patriots Sneak Past Panthers

AVON PARK - The South Florida Community College baseball team continued its slow start on Wednesday, giving up five runs in the final two innings and falling 10-2 to Central Florida Community College at Panther Field.

The Panthers (0-4) had the game within reach at 5-2 in the eighth, but the Patriots took advantage of late fielding errors to pull out the win.

"We played a pretty decent ballgame for eight innings," said SFCC coach Rick Hitt. "We're still having trouble pitching out of our mistakes."

Making his first start of the season, Panther freshman Jasper Brown kept the game close until he reached his pitch-limit in the fifth inning, giving up just one earned run. Sophomore Brandon Decker paced SFCC offensively, going 2 for 3 with a double and a home run.

But Panther miscues added up: Of their 10 runs allowed, only four were earned, and in the top of the ninth inning, an error on a would-be inning-ending play led to four straight hits by the Patriots.

Hitt said the team is somewhat discouraged with its slow start, but the Panthers are putting it in perspective: SFCC still has more than 50 games remaining on their schedule.

"If they weren't frustrated about being 0-4, I'd be concerned," Hitt said. "Everyone wishes we were 4-0 right now, but we have a long way to go.

"We just have to keep grinding it out."

The Panthers traveled to Winter Haven to battle Polk CC on Thursday and will head west to take on the University of Tampa for a doubleheader on Saturday. After a meeting with Webber International in Babson Park on Tuesday, they return home to take on Hillsborough CC on Feb. 6 at 6 p.m.