Indians capture PCB College Baseball Classic Championship
#12 Chipola defeated #22 Indian River, 4-3, to win the title and move to 6-2 on the season.
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The #12 Chipola Indians scored three runs in the sixth inning to come from behind and defeat #22 Indian River State, 4-3, in the Panama City Beach College Baseball Classic Championship on Sunday afternoon.
Ismael Borrero (1-0) picked up his first win of the season with 3.1 innings of stellar relief pitching. Borrero turned the game over to Collier Barham in the seventh who picked up his second save of the season.
Just enough offense
With one out in the first inning, Miguel Hugas got Chipola's first hit of the game on a triple down the right field line. Following the second strikeout of the inning, it looked like Hugas would be stranded on Sam Parker's ground ball to first base. The ball hopped just above the first baseman's mitt and Parker beat out the throw from the second baseman who was backing up the play. The miscue allowed Hugas to score although Parker was called out for making a turn toward second after he had reached first safely.
The Indians failed to score over the next four innings. Meanwhile, the Pioneers put up three in the second inning to hold a 3-1 lead. The score would stay that way until the top half of the sixth when Chipola came to bat.
Sam Parker led off the inning with a hard ground ball through the right side and Colin Guerra reached on a bunt single. Cole Garner entered the game as a pinch hitter and put down a bunt of his own to sacrifice and move the runners up a base. On the next pitch, Nick Croce singled up the middle to score Parker and Guerra.
With two outs and the score tied 3-3, Croce stole second on a 1-0 pitch to Luke Williams, giving the Indians the go-ahead run in scoring position. Williams hit a high chopper up the middle which the IRSC short stop fielded on the right side of second base. With Williams hustling down the line and Croce never slowing down as he came around third, the Pioneers' defender threw to first but it was not in time to get the Chipola leadoff hitter. Croce scored from second on the play easily to give Chipola the 4-3 lead.
What a relief
Freddy Beruvides made his second start of the season and managed to escape danger in the first despite allowing the first two IRSC batters to reach safely. He would not be as fortunate in the second.
A walk sandwiched between a pair of singles loaded the bases to start the second frame for the Pioneers. A sac fly followed by a double gave Indian River a 2-1 lead with one out and runners at second and third. The next batter hit a ground ball to Chipola short stop, Josiah Seguin, to add another run for IRSC and chase Beruvides from the game.
Down 3-1 with two outs and a runner on third, Borrero took the mound looking to put an end to the rally. Borrero struck out the Pioneers' three-hole hitter to end the inning and keep the deficit to only two runs.
After hitting the first batter in the third inning, Borrero retired the next nine hitters he faced. In 3.1 IP, Borrero allowed just one baserunner, the hit batter, and struck out four.
Collier Barham entered in the sixth and picked up where Borrero left off. Barham got a pair of ground balls and a pop up on the infield to retire the Pioneers in order.
In the seventh inning, following a ground ball out, a single and a walk put the tying and winning runs on base. Pitching coach Rush Hixon took a mound visit to settle the infield and his closer. He barely made it back to the dugout before a ground ball to the right side was fielded by Croce, shuffled to short stop Colin Guerra at second, then thrown on to JC Vanek at first to start the celebration.
The trophy is coming home with us
This was the fourth year for the Classic and the event has produced four different winners. Florida SouthWestern won the first tournament in 2022 followed by Wallace-Dothan Community College in 2023. Last season, the host team, Gulf Coast kept the trophy in Panama City. Prior to this year, Chipola's best finish was third place in the 2022.
Miguel Hugas was named the Classic's Most Valuable Player after going 5-for-12 with a double and a home run. The sophomore scored five runs and knocked in four.
The Most Valuable Pitcher award went to sophomore Austin Brown following his outstanding performance against NJCAA D2's 5th ranked team, Pearl River Community College. Brown did not allow a hit in four innings against the Wildcats. He struck out seven and improved his season record to 2-0.
Road warriors
Chipola (6-2) has one more game on the road before playing 19 of their next 20 at Jeff Johnson Field. The Indians will travel to take on Enterprise State Community College at noon on Tuesday.