MELBOURNE, Fla. (Softball) - On Sunday, Florida Tech handed Angelo State its first loss of the season, 4-3, in the final game of the Marriott First Pitch Classic at Nancy Bottge Field. Offensive efforts in the bottom of the third were enough to maintain the lead and allow the Panthers to walk away with the win.

Offensive stat leaders for Florida Tech were Makayla Palmer and Audrey Gangloff. Palmer went 1-for-1 with a two RBI's double while Gangloff registerd a 1-for-3 performance with an RBI. On the mound for the Crimson and Grey was Rachel Pence. She took charge of controlling the Blue and Gold's lineup with an allowance of only nine hits, eight strikeouts, and 1 walk. Throughout the seven innings, thanks to Pence's performance, the defense was credited with 21 put outs on 30 chances. With the win, Pence now has a record of 3-1 with 20 strikeouts and two walks.

With a slow offensive start, Pence and the Panther defense held Angelo State to one hit, with no errors, and left one runner on base in the top of the first.

Headed to the bottom, FIT caught a break after two consecutive outs, when Ram's pitcher Brandy Marlett walked four batters to put Florida Tech on the score board 1-0.

After a three-in-three-out second inning by both teams, ASU found the left field fence in the top of the third with an RBI homerun to put FIT at a 2-1 deficit. However, the Panther's struck gold at the bottom of the third when Palmer drove in two runs with a RBI double to left center that put the Ram's short fall at one. After the score broke through, Gangloff leveled a single down the left field line to drive in Palmer for another run.

With a scoreless fourth, fifth, and sixth inning, the Rams found themselves on the score board due to a solo homerun to center field. However, ASU came up short and was unable to score after Taegan Kirk popped up to Sarah Hayes for the final out.

Next, the Panthers will hit the the diamond next weekend, Feb. 10-12, when they travel to Clearwater Fla. for the Eckerd Invitational.