LONGWOOD, Fla. – Florida Tech softball wrapped up the 2024 Panther Invitational on Sunday by facing Auburn-Montgomery and Bentley for a second time this weekend. After falling to AUM in eight hard-fought innings, 4-3, the Panthers closed the weekend in impressive fashion with a resounding 9-1 victory over Bentley to finish the weekend with a 5-1 record.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 
GAME ONE:
Final: Florida Tech 3, RV Auburn-Montgomery 4 (8 innings)
Records: Florida Tech (6-3, 0-0 SSC) | RV Auburn-Montgomery (7-2, 0-0 GSC)
Location: Soldiers Creek Park | Longwood, Fla.  


STATS OF THE GAME:

• The Panthers were poised to strike first once again as they loaded the bases in the bottom of the second with no out against Warhawks starting pitcher Chelisa Newsome.
• Newsome recovered to strike out Jillian Moeller, coaxed an infield fly from Celeste Casillas and induced an Ella Niles groundout to keep Tech off the board.
• AUM would get their breakthrough against Panther starter Alex Hendrian in the top of the fourth.
• The frame began with Faith Wheat being hit by a pitch. She was moved over to second on the next batter when Kat Fallen sacrifice bunted.
• Molly Cobb gave Auburn-Montgomery the lead with a double into the right centerfield gap.
• After Cobb was lifted for a pinch runner, Gia Martin drove her in with a double of her own.
• Martin added to the Warhawk lead with a solo home run in the top of the sixth.
• Newsome retired 13 Panthers in a row before the Crimson and Gray lineup came to life in the bottom of the sixth.
• The comeback began when Jolie Miracle reached on a fielding error with one out.
• After Katie Hogue singled, Miranda Schwartz and Mya Ogbodiewgu each doubled to knot the game at three.
• Florida Tech were unable to bring home the go-ahead run as Kathryn Sexton popped out and Moeller struck out to end the inning.
• Both teams had the winning run on base in the seventh inning but were unable to capitalize.
• In the top of the eight, Martin was intentionally walked with two out, which brought up Rebecca Komers.
• Komers singled to left and when the throw to third was errant, Martin came in to score and put AUM ahead.
• Tech had one last chance in the bottom of the eighth as Ogbodiewgu was intentionally walked with two and Sexton followed with a walk of her own but Warhawk reliever Avery Dickerson recovered to strike out Moeller to end the game.
• Hendrian tossed her third complete game in as many days and fifth of the season, striking out four and walking two over eight innings. This was the first time she had thrown eight innings since doing so on April 14, 2022 vs. Embry-Riddle and her 120 pitches were a career high.

 
 
GAME TWO:
Final: Florida Tech 9, Bentley 1
Records: Florida Tech (7-3, 0-0 SSC) | Bentley (1-5, 0-0 NE10)
Location: Soldiers Creek Park | Longwood, Fla.  


STATS OF THE GAME:

• As they've done throughout the weekend, the Panthers took the lead almost immediately with Niles once again providing the spark in the top of the first.
• The sophomore centerfielder led off the game with an infield single against Falcons starting pitcher Riley Piromalli. After stealing second and advancing to third on a Kelly McLaughlin sacrifice bunt, Jolie Miracle drove Niles home with a single to right.
• The Crimson and Gray added on the following frame with Ogbodiewgu's leadoff single and a walk to Kathryn Sexton starting the proceedings.
• Two batters later, Casillas lead the bases with a single to turn over the lineup to Niles.
• Niles drew a walk and McLaughlin lifted a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-0.
• The surge continued the following inning as Hogue started the frame with an infield single.
• Schwartz and Ogbodiewgu each singled to load the bases for Sexton, who lifted a sacrifice fly to right that plated Hogue. While Ogbodiewgu was caught in a rundown, Schwartz sprinted in to score and make it a 5-0 advantage.
• The onslaught rolled on in the top of the fourth as Casillas, Niles and McLaughlin all reached base to start.
• Miracle continued her strong start to the season with her a two-run single to right.
• Bentley responded in the bottom half of the inning, tallying their first hits of the afternoon against the Florida Tech starting pitcher Dawn Pawlak.
• Jordan Krause and Hailey Feiler began the frame with singles to left and then pulled off a double steal with Morgan Fraitzl at the plate.
• One batter later, Katie Welch's sacrifice fly to center brought home Krause to get the Falcons on the board.
• The Crimson and Gray wrapped up the output at the plate in the top of the seventh when with two out, Casillas' double to left center drove in Ogbodiewgu and Niles followed with a single to right that capped the scoring.
• Lexi Lueger recorded the final six outs for Tech without surrendering a run.
• Pawlak permitted just one run on two hits over five innings in her first start as a pitcher in her college career.

 
 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• The Panthers' all-time series with Auburn-Montgomery now stands at 2-2.
• Florida Tech now leads the all-time series with Bentley 4-0.
• Katie Hogue extended her hitting streak to eight games and has had a hit in nine of the first 10 games.
• Miranda Schwartz extended her hitting streak to eight consecutive games as well and hit .375 for the weekend.
• Ella Niles hit .315 over the six games this weekend while scoring six runs and stealing four bases. She has now stolen 31 bases in 53 career games.
• Celeste Casillas had three multi-hit games through the weekend and hit .411 for the Panther Invitational. Her season average currently stands at .391 with an on-base percentage of .500.

 
 
UP NEXT: The Panthers will open Sunshine State Conference play and take to Nancy Bottge Field for the first time in 2024 on Friday night when they begin a three-game series with Florida Southern. First pitch is scheduled for 7 P.M