Austin Gaines smacked a three-run home run in the third inning, but that was all the offense the South Florida Community College baseball team could muster on Wednesday as St. Petersburg College got behind unearned runs early and cruised to a 9-3 Suncoast Conference victory.
Adam Simmons pitched well for the Panthers, who coach Rick Hitt said "got off the bus well."
"The guys were locked in and we showed a quality approach at the plate," he said, noting SFCC had a 3-1 lead with two on in the fifth before lining into a double play, were picked off with a runner on and no outs in the sixth and had two on in the eighth before going quietly. "We have to do more. We have to make more baseball plays than we've been making the last three or four times out."
St. Pete put the game away in the eighth when they posted four runs, including a home run. Hitt said his team needs to re-gain the focus they showed earlier this season.
"Guys that have been making plays for us need to get back to it, and that's the bottom line," he said. "We have arguably the best arm in the state Juco system at our yard on Friday night. We need to be ready to go."
The Panthers (20-10, 1-3) host St. Pete at 6 p.m. tonight at Panther Field. See Sunday's Highlands Today for result.
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