Titans Outlast Rain and Central Florida to Remain Alive; Play Again at 1 P.M.

The Eastern Florida State College baseball team got a big night from its offense just when it needed it most on a rainy Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Buoyed by a six-run fourth inning, the Titans went on to defeat the College of Central Florida 10-6 at the NJCAA District/FCSAA Tournament at Henley Field in Lakeland.

The game began at 10:30 p.m. Monday and ended at 2 a.m. today.

EFSC (33-17) is scheduled to face St. Petersburg (34-20) at 1 p.m. today in another elimination game.

Ian Lisle went 3 for 4 and scored three runs for EFSC. Norberto Navarro, Sammy Duran and Ruben Garcia all had two hits each,

Lefty Matthew Meyers got the start for the Titans and despite having some control issues (seven walks) was able to keep the Patriots lineup down until the EFSC offense got going – with two outs, no less – in the fourth inning.

Trailing 1-0, the Titans got consecutive singles by Luis Ciuro, Lisle and Garcia loaded the bases. Angel Velez followed with a two-run single to put EFSC up 2-1 with runners on the corners.

Velez then stole second, and on the ensuing throw to the base, Garcia raced home with a steal of home to make it a 3-1 contest.

After Manny Rodriguez walked, Navarro delivered an RBI single and when the Patriots threw the ball away at third, Rodriguez scored for a 5-1 lead.

Duran, the 10th batter of the inning, singled home Navarro to complete the six-run inning that saw the Titans get seven hits.

EFSC would load the bases again with one out in the top of the fifth and chase Central Florida starter Cooper Wallace.

After Rodriguez brought home a run on a ground out, Garcia scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-1.

EFSC would get another run in the sixth and one more in the ninth.

Myers, meanwhile, lasted 4 1/3 innings and got relief help from Chandellor Benton, Gabriel Rodriguez and Garcia, who struck out three of the four batters he faced.