CLINTON, Miss. (Baseball) – Panthers start off the season right with a two game sweep over Mississippi College Friday evening at Frierson Field in Clinton, Mississippi.

In game one, the Panthers were able to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 4th. John Sternagel led the way hitting a one-run homerun and concluding the outing 2-for-4 at the plate. Fellow teammate Ryan Sinzenich went 2-for-4 collecting three RBI's accompanied by Grant McKown with a RBI double, who closed game one with a 2-for-3 performance in the box. The three infielders combined to bring home five of the six runs. 

Ty Cohen and Drew Beyer pitched 5.2 and 1.1 innings, respectively, allowing a total of nine hits and four runs to the Choctaws. The Florida Tech pitchers faced a total of 33 batters, walking two and striking out 11. Cohen opened the game while Beyer entered the mound in the bottom of the sixth, closing the inning and recording his first win of the season.

Highlighted by Sternagel's, Sinzenich's and McKown's performances, the Panthers sent six batters to the plate for their first win. 

After a rough start, Florida Tech's offense sparked in game two. After three inconclusive innings, the Crimson and Gray scored their first run of the night with James Gronberg pushing home McKown on a single up the middle.

At the top of the fifth, Sternagel increased the Panthers' lead by one, scoring David Wilson with a single through the left side. Eventually, the home team closed the gap putting three runs on the scoreboard during the sixth and seventh innings.

The remaining innings saw the Panthers as protagonists. Nick Capra doubled a deep shot down the right center bringing two runners home, while in the ninth Daniel Szpik scored Sternagel and Pedro Rivera with a single through the right side. With a wild pitch and a fielder's choice, Florida Tech was able to add two more runs on the scorebook ending the inning with four total runs scored.

Andrew Marzheuser took the mound first, shutting out Mississippi College's lineup in 4.1 innings pitched. Luke Lorah relieved Marzheuser in the middle of the fifth, closing the inning with two quick ground-outs. Lorah then delegated the mound to Colin Cristello after 2.1 innings, who closed game two with three struck-outs and allowing one hit. The three pitchers joined to strike-out 10, walk five and allow four runs.

FIT will wrap-up the weekend series at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET Saturday. For complete coverage, log onto FloridaTechSports.com.