MELBOURNE, Fla. (Baseball) - Florida Tech (23-15) finished its series against Embry-Riddle (13-27) splitting the doubleheader on Friday afternoon. In the first game of the doubleheader, the Panthers defeated the Eagles 7-2, but dropped to the second game in extra innings, 6-5.
During the regional series, the Panthers collected 25 hits for 12 runs. In the box, Vicenzo Catanza led the FIT firepower ending the day with a 5-for-9 performance at the plate with one RBI.
Reid Neal and
Grant McKown recorded three hits apiece, while
Nick Capra picked up four.
On the mound,
Grant Willcoxon (3-2) earned his third seasonal win, striking out four and allotting no runs on five hits in five innings pitched.
In Game 2 of the series, Florida Tech struck first, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth with
Ryan Sinzenich, Wilson and
Trent Masih combining for three RBI to put Florida Tech ahead, 3-0.
In the fifth, Sternagel and
Daniel Szpik snatched two more runs for the Crimson and Gray with an RBI single apiece. Wilson bumped the margin for the Panthers once again, as the senior out of San Diego hit a sac-fly to the deep right field to bring Capra home and overlap the Eagles, 6-0.
Michael Jenks made his first seasonal appearance in the eighth, driving an RBI single to increase the FIT margin, 7-0.
Eventually the Eagles grabbed two more runs in their very last at bat, but senior
Luke Lorah quickly shut the Embry bats and sealed the 23 seasonal win for the Panthers, 7-2.
Game 3 started with the Eagles breaking through the score, as Embry took two runs in the second frame of the game. The Panthers answered back in the home half, when
Zac Orchard singled to shortstop and pushed Capra home to close the gap, 2-1.
After a scoreless third inning, ERAU enlarged its lead by snatching two more runs, but quickly decreased its margin allotting one run to Florida Tech on a wild pitch. In the sixth, Catanza singled up the middle to continue the Panthers rally, which brought in the third FIT run.
The seventh and eight went by with no runs recorded for either team but the ninth showed some action as the Panthers fought-back to tie the game. After McKown reached second with a double down the left field line,
Raul Quintero entered as pinch runner for his fellow teammate and reached third on a wild pitch. Sternagel followed up by flaring a troubled grounder to the Embry-Riddle third baseman, which converted into an error that allowed Quintero to score.
With a 4-4 score, the game moved into the tenth, where the Eagles took two more runs on a sac bunt and RBI single. Trailing by two once again, Florida Tech worked hard for a comeback, as Capra and Sinzenich patiently waited for the fourth ball to reach base on a walk. With two outs and two runners on base, Masih drove in another run for FIT to close the extra inning gap, 6-5.
However, the Florida Tech offensive attempts were eventually ceased and the Panthers dropped the last game of the series, 6-5.
