MELBOURNE, Fla. - Florida Tech opened its SSC season with a home game against Lynn. In what was a tight ball game all night, a solo home run from Lion Paulino in the ninth inning for the Fighting Knights decided the outcome.  

INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final: Florida Tech 5, Lynn 6 
Records: Florida Tech (6-6, 0-1 SSC) | Lynn (7-3-1, 1-0 SSC) 
Location: Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field | Melbourne, Fla. 

STATS OF GAME: 

• The Fighting Knights scored the first run of the game in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk. 
• Sam Schner led the third inning off with a double down the right field line. Then later in the frame, Jason Blackstone scored him on a RBI groundout to shortstop to tie the game. 
• RBI doubles by John Rodriguez and Shawn Dougherty gave Lynn a 3-1 advantage in the fifth inning. 
• Hayden Kimball drove in Josh Ford for the Panthers second run in the sixth inning on a RBI infield single. 
• Austin Sewell scored two more runs for Tech in the sixth with a 2-RBI triple to right field that scored Kimball and Roman Samson.
• Schner gave the Panthers a 5-3 lead later in the sixth inning on a RBI single to right field that scored Sewell. 
• In the eighth inning, Lynn tied the ball game on a 2-RBI single from A.J. Orrico.
• Paulino delivered with the timely solo home run to right field to give the Fighting Knights a 6-5 lead in the ninth inning.
• Blackstone reached base via a double with two outs in the ninth inning, however the next Tech batter was retired to end the ball game. 
• As a team, Tech had nine hits with Schner leading the way with three while Kimball and Sewell each had two. 
• Starting RHP Mitch Harding pitched four and one-third innings and gave up three earned runs on four hits, four walks, and five strikeouts. 
• RHP Tyler Vermillion worked one and two-thirds innings out of the bullpen while giving up just one hit and striking out two. 
• RHP Elijah McCormack threw one inning for the Panthers, and gave up two earned runs on one hit and one walk.  
• RHP Ethan Stephens took the loss for Tech giving up one earned run on two hits in two innings pitched. He struck out four and walked one. 
• LHP Eric Heatter took earned the save for the Fighting Knights by working a scoreless ninth inning. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE: 

• The Panthers drop to 48-49 all-time against Lynn. 
• Three hits tie a season-high for Schner. 

UP NEXT: Florida Tech returns to action tomorrow for a doubleheader with Lynn. First pitch from Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field is scheduled for 1 p.m. 

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