MELBOURNE, Fla. - Under severe wind conditions, Florida Tech (21-14) continued its winning streak with back-to-back shutouts against Columbus State (15-12) during the Tuesday doubleheader at the Nancy Bottge Field. After narrowly taking the first game 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth on a single, the Panthers clawed Game two, 2-0 and held the Cougars to solely three hits in seven innings played.

Each recording a win each inside the circle, juniors Melanie Murphy (9-5) and McKenzie Krutsinger held the Cougars lineup to a combined .133 batting average. In the first game, Murphy recorded her third seasonal shutout, as the Melbourne native struck out four and allotted three hits in seven innings pitched. During Game 2, Krutsinger complied one strikeout and allotted one hit in five innings pitched, while Murphy closed the two remaining frames with two strikeouts to corral her second save of the 2018 campaign.

In the box, sophomore Ally Carver led the FIT lineup with two RBI and recorded a .500 on-base percentage. Chipping in with a .200 batting average, senior Makayla Palmer went 1-for-5 at the plate with one double.
In the first game of the doubleheader, both lineups struggled to reach base, as Murphy and Columbus's pitcher Darby Demarest dominated for five entire innings, allowing two and three hits respectively. However, in the bottom of the sixth Florida Tech turned the game around with two outs on the board. The sequence started when Palmer doubled down the right-field line to place herself in scoring position for Rubio, who singled towards the six-hole to allow Palmer to cross home plate safe and put FIT ahead, 1-0.

In the final frame, the Cougars managed to fill the bases but an outstanding catch by left fielder Lexi Bettermann ended the Columbus rally, as the junior quickly threw home to catch the runner for a double play, wrapping up the win for Florida Tech, 1-0.

In Game 2, the Melbourne squad broke through the score in its very first offensive frame, as Carver delivered a flawless squeeze bunt to push Emerenciana home, 1-0. After a scoreless second inning for both dugouts, the Crimson and Gray lineup struck again in the bottom of the third, where Carver's single to center field drove home Alexus Smith to increase the Panthers stretch, 2-0. For the remainder of the game, the Panthers restrained the Cougars offense, allotting solely three hits in four innings to seal the midweek sweep, 2-0.

Next up, FIT will travel to West Palm Beach for the SSC series against the No.13 Palm Beach Sailfish. Teams will line up on Friday, Mar. 23 at 6 p.m. ET.

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