MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech softball looked to go over the .500 mark for the first time in 2020 as they welcomed Tiffin to Melbourne for a doubleheader. The women completed this task and moved to 11-10 as they sweep the Dragons, 15- 2 and 5-4.
Ashley Campbell and
Mikayla Wessel led the team in hits with three apiece while
Jaden Kline,
Katie Maiello and
Ally Carver each had two. Eight different Panthers scored at least a run but Kline and Carver led the pack with three. Meanwhile, seven women managed one or more RBI but Maiello had a team high of four.
Jordan Lawlis was the Crimson & Gray's workhorse as she pitched 7.1 innings and surrendered only one run and no hits over that period. She also tallied both of the wins.
Raychel Trocki and
Tina Velazquez Rolon both had relief stints as they went 2.0 and 2.2, respectively.
The Panthers had their best opening frame of the season as the team managed to bat around the order and scored eight runs in the process. The first run of the game came via a Tiffin wild pitch that scored Nelson and Wessel. A few batters later, the third run came due to a bases-loaded walk that pushed Szrom across the bag.
Rachel Kraak made it 4-0 when she hit a slower ground that allowed Campbell to beat out the throw at home. Kline was the next Panther that crossed the plate as she scored on a wild pitch then Carver scored when a pitch hit Nelson with the bases loaded. Wessel had the first base hit to bring someone home in Kraak and Maiello and these runs ended the scoring in the first inning.
Tech put together another huge scoring outburst in the third inning as they scored seven more runs. Szrom got the first of seven in as she hit into a fielder choice that got Nelson home. Campbell also hit into a fielder's choice but a throwing error to the plate allowed Wessel to make it 9-0.
A passed ball later in the third got Velazquez Rolon over the bag. A Carver single got Campbell home while Maiello's double to center field scored both Kline and Carver.
Andrea Tovar got her first collegiate RBI as she grounded out to first but it allowed Kraak time to tout across the bag. This run ended the Panthers scoring and put the total at 15-0.
It looked as if it would end 15-0 but an attempted Tiffin comeback in the top of the fifth saw them put up two runs but it was not enough as it ended after five innings, 15-2.
The runs came at more of a premium in the second game of the double header as Tech scored less in seven innings then they did in the first inning of game one. The women did get on the board first as a grounder to the shortstop helped Szrom safely cross home plate. In the fourth, they doubled their lead to 2-0 when Maiello hit one straight up the middle and it gave Carver time to score.
Campbell made it 3-0 when she singled to center field and gave Hand plenty of time to tout over the bag. The lead looked solid until Tiffin managed three runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game and took the lead, 4-3, in the seventh.
However, the pressure was too much for the Dragons as two bases-loaded walks in the bottom half of the seventh scored Velazquez and Kline. This gave the Panthers a walk-off 5-4 victory and put them over the .500 mark for the first time in the 2020 season.
Florida Tech will not have much time to celebrate, as they have to regroup and refocus for another doubleheader Friday, March 6, against Wilmington. The first pitch of game one takes place at 4 p.m. ET in the familiar confines of Nancy Bottge Field.
For the latest news, updates and information on the Florida Tech softball team, visit FloridaTechSports.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Panthers news by following Florida Tech Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
