MELBOURNE, Fla. - On Saturday afternoon, Florida Tech (3-5) officially opened the season at Andy Seminick-Less Hall Field with two wins over the Drury Panthers (0-2). In the first event, FIT powered past Drury with an 11-1 victory, and routed the Springfield lineup 7-4 in the second game of the day.

On the mound, Ty Cohen (2-0) and Sam Crocker (1-1) earned one win each during the Saturday outing. Taking the mound first, Cohen struck out seven, allowing solely two hits and no runs in the seven complete innings pitched. During the following matchup, Crocker tallied two strikeouts and allotted six hits within the five innings he pitched.

Bringing the heat to the Panther lineup, junior Jacob Buser ended the day with a 4-for-7 performance in the box. Of the four hits recorded, Buser blasted three doubles for a .571 batting average, and drove home five RBI. 

Pitching in with five RBI of his own, senior Daniel Szpik recorded two doubles during his 2-for-5 effort at the plate. Adding two RBI to the Crimson and Gray total, junior Zach Orchard ended the doubleheader going 3-for-7 with a .429 batting average. 

Aiding the FIT offense with a .500 batting average, senior Ryan Sinzenich accumulated three hits on six at bats for an RBI and one double.

As a team, Florida Tech amassed 20 hits, seven doubles and 17 RBI for a cumulative .317 batting average.

In the first game, the Panthers set the tone with a run in the bottom of the first to take the lead, 1-0. Entering the second ahead by one, FIT posted one more run on the scoreboard to make it a 2-0 game. Keeping the Crimson and Gray bats hot, Sinzenich and Jakob Newton joined forces in the third to post two more runs on the scoreboard for FIT, 4-0. 

After a scoreless fourth inning, Florida Tech burst again in the bottom of the fifth, as a sac fly by Buser and a single by Newton drove in two more points for the Melbourne lineup, 6-0. From there, Szpik and Buser flared one double apiece to increase the FIT stretch by nine in the sixth inning.

Although Drury scored one run in the top of the eighth, Florida Tech answered back with two runs to further impose its lead, 11-1. In the top of the ninth Rhett Willis held the Drury lineup blank to wrap up the win for FIT, 11-1.

Moving into the second game, Florida Tech set the pace yet again, but this time with Buser pulling home two runs in the bottom of the first move past Drury, 2-0. However, the Springfield lineup closed the margin in the second, 2-1. Up by one in the bottom half of the inning, FIT would manage to find home plate once more on a Szpik double that was sent down the left field line to push in three runners, 5-1. 

Although the four run deficit, Drury turned the game around in the third, driving in three runs to cut the Florida Tech lead, 5-4. After a scoreless fourth and fifth however, Szpik would post one more run for the Panthers in the sixth, before an eighth inning error Drury granted FIT one more run to make it a 7-4 game. In the ninth, Drew Beyer earned his second save of the season to grant FIT the 7-4 victory.

Next up, Florida Tech will host Flagler on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. ET. 

For live coverage of the event, fans can access FloridaTechSports.com!