A late home run was not enough in the series opener as TBC Eagles Baseball dropped the first game with the South Region's Paine College Lions 9-5 on Friday. The Eagles came from behind to take a 1-run lead in the fifth, but Paine scored six afterward to get the win.

Gavin Williams launched the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth over the left field fence for his fourth home run of the season for the game's final tally.

Trailing 3-1 as they came up in the fifth, the Eagles took advantage of two walks and a hit batsman to claim the lead. Ryan Oknst walked to start the frame. Logan McGann was hit, and Nate Nogueras singled to load the bases with one out. Consecutive passed balls with Dominic Gattinella at the plate allowed Onskt and McGann to tie it up. McGann brought home a run with a hit earlier in the game.

Tyson Lachapelle followed with a base hit to give the Eagles a 4-3 lead, but that was all they would get until Williams batted in the ninth.

Paine scored three in the seventh, two in the eighth, and one in the ninth. Each team tallied a run in the third, and Paine got two in the fifth. Cristian Batista and Jhoel Melone led the Lions with 3 RBI apiece. Fabio Warff was the winning pitcher in four solid innings of relief.

The teams will play two on Saturday with a first pitch slated for 12:00 noon. TBC will then host USCAA Atlantis University for two next Friday and one next Saturday, April 11 and 12. The regular season then concludes with a home double-header with NAIA Thomas University on April 15 and a three-game series with independent Millennia Atlantic University on April 25 and 26.