Baseball team shuts out College of Central Florida in series opener

The Eastern Florida State College baseball team shut out the College of Central Florida in the first game of the three-game series Thursday night at Bruce Bochy Field.

The Titans defeated the Patriots 2-0 in a conference game that lasted just over two hours.

Sophomore starting pitcher Owen Simmons had his best outing of the season, tossing a complete game with 11 strikeouts and did not walk a batter in nine innings. Simmons allowed just four singles in the game.

Simmons and the College of Central Florida's Brayden Toro matched zeroes for the first three innings but the Titans struck in the fourth inning.

With one out in the inning, Shane Thomas reached on a fielder's choice and them Iziah Santiago walked bringing up Bryce Pax. Pax hit the first pitch he saw into the left-center gap, scoring both Thomas and Santiago. The outfielder slid into third safely and the ball got past the third baseman and he went for home but was thrown out to end the inning.

It was the only two runs that Toro would allow and struck out seven in eight innings.

Eastern Florida State College, who improved to 12-5 overall and 3-1 in the conference, will travel to Ocala for a doubleheader with the Patriots on Saturday. The first game will begin at 11 a.m.