MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech opened the SSC series against Lynn with a doubleheader on Friday afternoon. The Panthers prevailed in game one with a three-run homerun. Game two saw the Panther offense go to work, defeating Lynn 8-4.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 
GAME ONE:
Final: Florida Tech 3, Lynn 1
Records: Florida Tech (9-8, 2-5 SSC) | Lynn (5-14, 1-5 SSC)
Location: Nancy Bottge Field | Melbourne, Fla.  

STATS OF THE GAME:

• After two scoreless innings, Lynn would break the ice against Panther pitcher Alex Hendrian.
• Olivia Lovins singled to left center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, before scoring on a throwing error by the Panthers.
• Florida Tech limited Lynn to one run, ending the inning on a double play.
• In the bottom of the fourth and two runners on base, Mya Ogbodiewgu sent one over the right field fence for a three-run home run.
• Tech came close to adding another run in the bottom of the fifth, but Lynn's defense tagged Celeste Casillas out at the plate.
• In the top of the seventh, Lynn's first batter of the inning singled to center field. The next batter up, Lovins, reached first on a field's choice as Kelly McLaughlin turned to Casillas at second to tag Lynn's runner out.
• The Panthers ended the inning on back-to-back fly outs.
• Alex Hendrian threw a complete game, allowing eight hits, one run, and one walk on four strikeouts.
• Ella Niles, Mya Ogbodiewgu, and Samantha Shortal each recorded one hit.

 
 GAME TWO:
Final: Florida Tech 8, Lynn 4
Records: Florida Tech (10-8, 3-5 SSC) | Lynn (5-15, 1-6 SSC)
Location: Nancy Bottge Field | Melbourne, Fla.  


STATS OF THE GAME:

• Game two was off to a quick start with both teams scoring in the first inning.
• Lynn's first batter, Morgan Simpson, singled to second base and stole second before a sacrifice bunt sent her to third. The third batter singled to send Simpson to home plate.
• Two consecutive ground outs ended the top of the first.
• Ella Niles led off for the Panthers with a single to left center.
• Kelly McLaughlin followed with a single to center field, advancing Niles to second.
• The next two Panther batters recorded outs.
• With two outs and two on base, Miranda Schwartz doubled to left center to send Niles and McLaughlin home for a 2-1 lead.
• Lynn tied the game in the top of the second. The first batter up was hit by a pitch to get on base.
• A walk and a groundout put Lynn's runner on third. Another groundout sent her home.
• The Panthers went three up, three down in the bottom of the second.
• Tech took back the lead in the bottom of the third, scoring three.
• Niles singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. McLaughlin singled on a bunt, putting Niles on third.
• Jolie Miracle recorded a sacrifice fly to take back the lead, 3-2.
• Katie Hogue followed with a double down the left-field line to score McLaughlin, 4-2.
• Two batters later, Mya Ogbodiewgu singled to shortstop to score Hogue for a 5-2 lead.
• In the top of the fourth, Ariana Rego got Lynn started with a single up the middle, followed by a steal.
• Niles walked the next Lynn batter, before Kristina Leone singled up the middle to score Rego.
• With the tying two runs on base, the Panther defense went to work recording a double play to end the inning.
• Lynn loaded the bases in the first three batters in the top of the fifth.
• Dawn Pawlak came in to pitch for the Panthers.
• Lynn's first batter up singled. Pawlak walked the next two batters to load the bases. Kyra Sunga's sacrifice fly brought home Simpson.
• With the tying run at third and the go-ahead at second, the Panthers brought Alex Hendrian into the circle.
• Hendrian got the Panthers out of a jam, striking out one and forcing a flyout to end the inning, still holding a 5-4 lead.
• Hogue blasted a triple through the right side in the bottom of the fifth. Schwartz followed with a sacrifice fly to score Hogue.
• With two outs and the bases loaded, Kayley Zazzali walked Niles to score Ogbodiewgu.
• Lynn gets out of the inning, tagging Samantha Shortal out at home.
• The Panthers went on to score one more in the bottom of the sixth. Miracle and Houge recorded back-to-back singles.
• Three batters later, Jillian Moeller sent one to left center to score Miracle.
• Lynn was able to get two runners in scoring position with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Schwartz caught a foul to end the game.
• Ella Niles recorded the win, throwing four innings and allowing just four hits and two walks.
• Alex Hendrian recorded the save, throwing 2.2 innings, allowing no hits and one walk on one strikeout.
• Katie Hogue went 3-4 at the plate with one RBI and two extra-base hits.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• The Panthers' all-time series with Lynn now stands at
• Mya Ogbodiewgu's home run in game one was her second of the season.
• Katie Hogue's triple in game two was her second of the season.
• Kelly McLaughlin extends her on-base streak to five games.

 
UP NEXT: The Panthers are back at Nancy Bottge Field on Saturday, March 2 for game three against Lynn. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
 

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