DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Florida Tech softball split day one of the Eagle Classic, defeating Newberry 6-3 and losing to No. 6 Auburn-Montgomery 9-1. Miranda Schwartz smoked her first two dingers of the season, marking ten in her career.
GAME ONE:
STATS OF THE GAME:
Final: Florida Tech 6, Newberry 3
Records: Florida Tech (3-3, 0-0 SSC) | Newberry (1-6, 0-0 SAC)
Location: Radiology Associates Field | Daytona Beach, Fla.
STATS OF THE GAME:
- After a three-and-out inning from Alex Hendrian, the Panthers' offense capitalized in the bottom of the first. Malaya Nelson got it started with a leadoff single, and then Schwartz made a statement with her first home run of the season.
- Newberry strung together three consecutive singles in the top of the second; however only managed to score one run.
- In the bottom of the third, Chloe Fariello singled through the left side. Two pitches later, the redshirt freshman stole second base.
- Celeste Casillas earned her tenth hit of the year, hitting the ball up the middle.
- Doing it on the mound and at the plate, Hendrian dropped the ball into left field, extending Tech's lead to 4-1.
- The Panthers gave up two more singles in the fourth but still kept the Wolves off the board.
- Tech would make them pay in the bottom of the inning as Julianna Hynes tallies a leadoff single. Following the hit, Hynes swiped second, getting into scoring position for Nelson to bring her home on a sacrifice fly.
- The Panthers would score a second run on a groundout set up by Ella Niles bunting for a hit and then stealing second. The Crimson and Gray led 6-1 heading into the fifth.
- Newberry did not go away quietly, making noise at the top of the sixth. The first and third batters walked, and the second and fourth batters singled, scoring one run.
- A fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly pulled the Wolves within three, but their comeback would end there.
- Sammy Murphy struck out two of the final three batters for the save in the seventh, securing the Panthers winning the first Eagle Classic 6-1 game.
GAME TWO:
STATS OF THE GAME:
Final: Florida Tech 1, No. 6 Auburn Montgomery 9
Records: Florida Tech (3-4, 0-0 SSC) | Auburn-Montgomery (3-2, 0-0 GSC)
Location: Radiology Associates Field | Daytona Beach, Fla.
STATS OF THE GAME:
- Auburn-Montgomery loaded the bases on two singles and a walk in the first. Two outs were on the board when the Warhawks' pitcher, Reese Cauley, doubled down the left-field line, bringing home one run.
- Murphy picked off the Warhawks runner at home to end the first inning.
- The Warhawks crossed the plate again in the second due to a leadoff triple and a groundout by the following batter.
- Crauley was holding the Panthers at bay but also impacting the game offensively. She opened the floodgates, popping a three-run shot to left field for a 6-0 Warhawks' edge.
- Auburn-Montgomery found a way to score two more before the third inning was over for an 8-0 lead.
- Hendrian subbed in to pitch in the fourth and managed a three-and-out in the fourth and fifth, grabbing two strikeouts.
- Schwartz was not ready to call it a night, blasting a moon shot to left field for her second home run of the night and 10th of her career.
- Two batters later, Hynes registered her second hit of Day One, but the Panthers could not add to their score.
- The Warhawks plated another run in the sixth to secure their 9-1 victory.
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
- Miranda Schwartz went 2-for-4, with both hits being bombs over the fence. The junior tallied three RBI, three runs, and a stolen base.
- Julianna Hynes also went 2-for-4 and registered a hit in both games.
- Alex Hendrian earned her first win of the 2025 campaign while pitching eight total innings across two games. She allowed two earned runs and struck out three batters. As a batter, the senior recorded her first RBI of the year.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- The Panthers remain unbeaten against Newberry and have a 3-0 all-time record. This was the first meeting between the schools since the Panthers swept a doubleheader on March 7, 2001, in Orlando.
- Panthers are 2-3 against Auburn-Montgomery. This was the third consecutive season in which the teams met, all at neutral sites.
- Miranda Schwartz hit her 10th career home run Friday. The last Florida Tech 3B with 10+ career homers was Alexus Smith, who hit 10 between 2016-2019.
UP NEXT: The Panthers continue to compete in the Eagle Classic on Saturday, playing Newberry at 4:30 p.m. and Embry-Riddle following the first game.
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