GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The game's very first batter hit a home run, and it proved to be a sign of things to come when No. 16 Santa Fe Baseball hosted Tallahassee, as each team provided a lot of offense in a back-and-forth matchup that resulted in the Eagles coming away with a 12-10 victory.

The defeat was the Saints' first of the season, after starting 3-0.

How it Happened

The Eagles took the 1-0 lead with the leadoff homer in the opening inning, but the Saints tied it up in the bottom half with an RBI double from Santiago Garavito in the gap to right-center field.

In the bottom of the second inning, three runs from the Saints opened up a 4-1 advantage. After Gabriel Esquivel homered, his second of the season, Jevin Relaford had his second hit of the game with a two-RBI single.

After each team brought across two runs in the third, SF led 6-3. The Saints started their at-bats in the third frame with a double from Billy Graham, an RBI double from Wyatt Campbell, and a triple from Esquivel.

The Saints went ahead 7-3 in the fourth when Graham's single plated Xavier Moronta.

The Eagles, however, countered in the fifth with another leadoff homer. The Saints widened the gap to four once again in their next at-bats, when Jacob Guthrie stole home after a pickoff at first base.

Tallahassee turned the game's tide dramatically in the sixth, putting up a crooked six runs. The Eagles had four hits in the frame, and benefitted from two walks, a hit by pitch, and two wild pitches.

Now trailing 10-8, SF found a way to tie it at 10-10 in the bottom of the seventh. After two batters were plunked, Moronta came through with a clutch two-out triple.

A sacrifice play in the eighth inning was the go-ahead run for Tallahassee, and they added one more in the ninth on a third leadoff home run to bring the score to 12-10.

SF brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but the Eagles got a full count K to conclude the contest.

Key Statistics

Each team had 13 hits in the high-scoring affair. SF had nine extra-base hits, while TCC accounted for six, three of which were long balls.

Relaford, Moronta, Garavito, Graham, and Esquivel each had multi-hit efforts in the loss.

Starting pitcher Mitchell Gross had a no-decision, tossing five innings while allowing four runs (three earned), one walk, and striking out seven.

After Jake Blair and Jacob Lauderdale came out of the bullpen, Tobin Moran was charged with the loss from the mound, throwing the final three innings.

Up Next

No. 16 Santa Fe (3-1) remains on their home field for a 2:00 p.m. game with Polk State College on Friday, Feb. 4.