PENSACOLA, Fla. (WTXL) — The Tallahassee Community College baseball team was second in the Panhandle Conference standings entering their first of their final two games Monday night. Only the top two teams advance to the state tournament. The Eagles had to win, and they needed Chipola to beat the third place team. There's good news to report, as everyone took care of business, and the Eagles will play in the state tournament.
Now, their final game of the season can be celebrated in style. It's longtime head coach Mike McLeod's final game as an Eagle, as he is retiring at the end of the season. McLeod, who went to Godby and played baseball, and later coached, at Florida State, was named head coach of the Eagles in 1990. He restarted the program, and in that time, he's won five outright conference titles and six Eagles went on to play in the Major Leagues.
Of his time at TCC? McLeod said he doesn't regret a single day.
"My mother was the one that really pushed me to go after this job," he said. "She thought it would be perfect, and I think she was right. The guys that have come through this program, come through this school, we're a major part of their journey, especially after high school. We're the first step and hopefully somewhere in there, we had something to do with all the success they're having as adults."
Wednesday's game starts at 6:00. There will a pregame reception at 4:30 to celebrate coach McLeod's career.
