Panthers Storm Past Webber

AVON PARK - The rain coming down in sheets didn't dampen Jasper Brown's spirits - or his fastball.

Brown hurled six strong innings despite Mother Nature doing her worst to get under his skin: He allowed just five hits and one run in South Florida Community College's 10-2 victory over Webber International University on Thursday.

"I felt good out there," Brown said. "The rain didn't effect me much, although it did help with my breaking ball."

The rain-shortened contest, which was halted with one out in the top of the seventh inning, was marred by hefty winds and blankets of the wet stuff, but weather couldn't dampen the Panthers' play.

Up 1-0, SFCC broke the game open with a five-run second inning that gave them a commanding lead and turned the head of their coach in the process.

"They showed up to play today, that's for sure," said SFCC head coach Rick Hitt. "Our hitters were disciplined and stayed consistent. It was nice to see the bats come alive."

First baseman Brien Coppola started the Panthers off in the second with a double into center, while Gerry Neufang singled to put runners on first and third. Outfielder Joel Torres reached base on a throwing error that allowed Coppola to score easily.

Two more runs plated on back-to-back hits from J.T. Tomlinson and Austin Gaines and Lake Placid's Steven Levine's sacrifice fly gave the Panthers a 6-1 lead.

Sophomore Brandon Decker crushed his third home run of the season, a bomb over the left-center field fence in the fourth inning, and Torres hit a two-run double in the fifth for a 10-0 Panther advantage.

Decker has been stellar in the early going of the season, but Coach Hitt still thinks he hasn't hit his potential.

"He got a hold of one tonight and has been swinging the bat well lately," Hitt said. "But I don't think we've seen his best baseball.

"There were a few at-bats lately that he's been getting too anxious and not taking his time in the box. He has the potential to get even better."

The skies opened up even more in the sixth inning and Webber took advantage, scoring their first run on an RBI double by freshman Andre Glanton - a rare instance where Brown let a sticky fastball get away from him.

"I was hitting my spots all night, but that one just slipped and he got a hold of it," Brown said. "My teammates were great tonight. They played great defense and had my back."

Although he struck out seven Warriors, Brown isn't known for his strikeout ability.

"He's a pitch-to-contact guy and with that kind of arm, you have to have a good defense," Hitt said. "The fielders made adjustments out there and made some good plays."

SFCC's Corey Ritter pitched to two batters in the seventh inning, giving up a run, but the rain was too much and the players were called to put the tarp on the field, as the game was called.

The Panthers are back in action on Friday, when they face Lake Sumter at 4 p.m.