MELBOURNE, Fla. - On Sunday afternoon, Florida Tech (7-6) capped off the 2018 Softball Classic with a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Flagler Saints (8-5) at the Nancy Bottge Field.
In the circle, junior
McKenzie Krutsinger (3-1) earned her third win after relieving fellow teammate
Melanie Murphy (3-3) in the bottom of the fourth. Krutsinger held the Saints scoreless in 3.1 innings pitched, while allotting solely two hits. After today's game, the Florida Tech pitching staff ranks third in conference with a 2.25 ERA in 12 games played, and totals 34 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched.
Sophomore
Vanessa Rubio shined at the plate, as the Lake Worth native ended the outing with a perfect 3-for-3 score in the box. In the game, Rubio also recorded her first home run of the season, which allotted her with one RBI. At the current time, Rubio leads the team with a .303 batting average and a .515 slugging percentage. In the SSC, the sophomore represents FIT tying in third for doubles with a total of five. Fellow sophomore
Ally Carver also pitched in, driving home two RBI and recording one hit during the afternoon.
As a team, FIT collected six hits and four RBI for a cumulative .261 batting average. Defensively, the Crimson and Gray collected 21 putouts and one double-play. Inside the SSC leaderboard, Florida Tech takes the fourth spot for fielding percentage with a .963 average.
The Panthers reached the scoreboard first in the top of the second, as Rubio flared a solo homer behind the right center fence to put FIT ahead, 1-0. However, the Saints erased the deficit in their offensive half of the second, and tied the score up at 1-1.
In the top of the third, Carver broke the balance with a single up the middle that allowed Wessel to cross home plate, 2-1. Moving into the fourth, Wessel increased the FIT stretch, pushing Rubio home with a sac fly to center field, 3-1. Entering its offensive frame trailing by two, Flagler erased the gap once more, delivering a two-run home run to tie the score, 3-3.
After a blank fifth and sixth, Carver hit a sac fly to right field in the top of the seventh to bring in the winning run for FIT. In the bottom of the inning, the Panthers held Flagler scoreless to walk with the win, 4-3.
Next, Florida Tech will travel west to open conference play against No. 23 Saint Leo on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. ET.
For more info, fans can access FloridaTechSports.com!
