TALLADEGA, Ala. – The Talladega College baseball team closed out the regular season with a non-conference doubleheader sweep over in-state rival Stillman College. The Tornadoes took game one 9-8 while winning 15-4 in game two. Talladega is now 32-15 on the season while the Tigers are 13-27.

Talladega awaits to find out where it will be seeded for the 2024 GCAC Baseball Championship.

Game 1: Talladega 9, Stillman 8 – 7 innings
Trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the first, leadoff hitter Victor Rivera tripled to right field and later scored off of Darlin Fernandez's RBI groundout to second to tie the game at one. Nomar Garcia singled to the catcher to keep the inning alive following a flyout for out number two. Garcia then moved to second when Armando Jackson singled to third. Jose Santigao's RBI single to the catcher allowed Garcia to score from second to put the Tornadoes in front 2-1 before the inning ended.

Talladega added a run in the bottom of the second on a pair of hits to go up 3-1, but the lead didn't last long as the Tigers pushed three runs across in their half of the third to go up, 4-3.

Stillman increased its lead in the top of the fourth when it used a pair of singles and a double to score two runs and make it a 6-3 game.

Talladega added a run in the fourth and fifth to trail 6-5, but the Tigers added a run in the top of the sixth to give themselves some breathing room and make it a 7-5 game.

The lead didn't last long as Talladega exploded for four runs in the bottom of the sixth on Santiago's grand slam to take a 9-7 lead.

Stillman got a run back in the seventh but it wasn't enough as the Tornadoes ended the Tiger's late rally to take the first game.

Reliever Ramses Ortega picked up the win (2-4). He scattered four hits while giving up four runs (three earned) and fanning four.

Santiago finished the game going 2-for-3 with five RBIs, a run scored, and a walk. Teammates Oropeza and Jahir Cruz each had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.

Game 2: Talladega 15, Stillman 4
Leading 2-1 heading into the bottom of the third, Talladega plated three runs on three hits. It all started when Rivera singled to the shortstop and later moved to second off Fernandez's infield single to third.  Following a strikeout, both runners moved up 90 feet off a passed ball. Garcia's single to deep in the hole at short allowed both runners to score to make it, 4-1. He then moved to second off the throw. Garcia later stole third with one out down.  Jackson struck out but reached first on an error by the catcher. With runners on the corners, both runners executed a double steal perfectly sending pinch runner Jeriel Lamboy to second and Garcia to score to make it a 5-1 game.

The Tornadoes added a pair of runs in the fourth and pushed seven runs across in the fifth to push their lead to, 14-1.

Stillman tacked on two runs in the top of the sixth but Talladega got one of the two runs back in its half of the sixth.

The Tigers added another run in the top of the seven to make it 15-4 before the inning ended.

Starting pitcher Samuel Guadamuz picked up the win to move to 9-2 on the season. He allowed two hits and one run (earned) over four innings of work. He fanned three in the process.

Fernandez, Oropeza, and Garcia combined going 6-for-11 with six runs scored, eight RBIs, a walk, and a double.

Outfielder Evan Baker went 1-for-1 with a two-run home run, two runs scored, and a walk.