Darren Goeke, Jr. and Drew Billings combined for the win and got a big offensive burst of support in the fourth as TBC Eagles Baseball rebounded from a tough opener to earn the win in the nightcap and the split of the double-header with the NAIA Florida National University Conquistadors. Trinity Baptist won the second game 7-4 after FNU had a big Game 1 to win 17-3.

Game 2: Eagles 7, Florida National 4

Goeke pitched 5+ superb innings for the win before giving way to Billings, who worked the final two innings to earn his first save as an Eagle.

Through five innings, Goeke allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on only 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 hit batsman, and 11 strikeouts. He kept the Conquistadors off balance by mixing speeds and pitches, getting ahead of most hitters, and getting flawless defense behind him. Goeke struck out six consecutive men spanning innings 1-3.

[Darren Goeke, Jr. pitched 5+ stellar innings to earn the win.]

Trinity led 7-2 heading into the top of the sixth, and after FNU loaded the bases with no outs, Billings came in to stop the rally with the tying run in the on-deck circle. A base hit and a hit batsman (with a strikeout in between) scored two to make the score 7-4, but Billings fanned the next two to end the inning. He then pitched a perfect seventh to finish the game and earn the save.

[Drew Billings earned his first save as an Eagle.]

The offense rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fourth thanks to the first three men reaching base. Nate Nogueras reached on an error, Dominic Gattinella walked, and Seth Reeves singled to load the bases. One hard line drive out later, Ryan Onkst was hit by a pitch to force in Nogueras, and Gavin Williams singled in Gattinella.

After the second out, Jordan Fernandez beat out an infield single to bring in Reeves. Parker Laffrey laced a hit to center that allowed Logan McGann (running for Onskt) and Williams to score the fourth and fifth runs. Laffery was tagged out trying to advance to second, but the Eagles led 7-2 going into the sixth.

Trinity scored in each of the first two innings on a base hit from Williams to drive in McGann (Onskt double) and an Onkst single that plated Reeves (walk).

FNU scored a run in the fourth and an unearned run in the fifth before TBC's big rally.

Game 1: Florida National 17, Eagles 3

The opener was all Conquistadors, who scored multiple runs in four innings and single runs in the other three. Home runs by Roberto Fernandez (5 total RBI) and Yordangel Gonzalez (2 RBI) led the charge.

TBC scored in the third when Norgueras crossed the plate on Onkst's sacrifice fly. They got two more in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Nogueras (Laffrey, single) and a run-scoring double from Graham Gorman (Jack Musgrave, single).

Next Up

The two teams will play another twin bill on Saturday beginning at 12:00 noon. The Eagles will then host a pair of three-game weekend series versus USCAA Atlantis University on February 16 and 17 and NAIA New College of Florida on February 23 and 24. The annual Russ-Matt Invitational follows between March 1 and 16 at various venues in the Orlando area.