ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Much like they did in Friday night's series opener, Florida Tech's bats shone throughout Saturday's doubleheader at Eckerd. However, after triumphing in a 16-10 Game One slugfest, they couldn't quite outrun their mistakes in Game Two as the Tritons prevented the sweep, 7-6.

GAME ONE:
Final: Florida Tech 16, Eckerd 10
Records: Florida Tech (23-17, 13-10 SSC) | Eckerd (9-26, 4-13 SSC)
Location: St. Petersburg, Fla. | Turley Athletic Complex

STATS OF THE GAME:

• The Panthers set the tone straight away against Eckerd starting pitcher Ryan Gargett, as Gabe Garrett walked to start the game and Conner Wiggins singled before being erased on a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners for Carlos Guzman.
• Guzman's double to right center brought home both runners to give Tech an early lead they would never surrender.
• Pedro Figueroa continued the early onslaught with an opposite field two-run home run to complete the opening frame fireworks.
• The Tritons responded in their first at-bat against Florida Tech starter Aidan Lenzen as Zade Stark ripped a two-out triple and came in to score on a Christian Cabina single.
• Jaden Hill worked a one-out walk in the top of the second and then stole second, which allowed Garrett to drive him in with an opposite field RBI single.
• Eckerd continued to trade punches in their next at-bat as Dawson Jones led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a flyout and came into score on a Cole Schumaker single.
• The Crimson and Gray were determined to not let their lead slip as Noah Burke walked to lead off the top of the third and Guzman joined him on the base paths after being hit by a pitch.
• Following a flyout that put runners at the corners, a wild pitch plated Burke and moved Guzman to third.
• Guzman was promptly driven in by an Akhil Nimmala single to left.
• Jacob Guthrie reached on a fielder's choice and then moved to second on a wild pitch.
• A Jason Blackstone single and a hit by pitch against Hill loaded the bases for Garrett, who then drove in two with his single to left.
• The Tritons went from trading punches to trading haymakers in the bottom of the inning as the first three batters reached base, two via walk.
• Reid Lisle made sure the game did not become a blowout as his single to right scored twice.
• Another hit batsman and a two-run single off the bat of Kam Gelwick cut the Panther lead to 9-6 and chased Lenzen in the process.
• Ridge Skarbek came in from the bullpen and retired the first three hitters he faced to end the threat.
• After an usually quiet fourth inning for both teams, Tech went right back to work in the top of the fifth against Tritons reliever Jacob Thomas with Akhil Nimmala leading it off with a walk and moving to second on a Guthrie base hit.
• Following a fielder's choice that allowed Blackstone to reach and a wild pitch that put two in scoring position, Hill's single to left center brought them both home.
• Garrett's third RBI single in four innings drove in Hill while Garrett would be caught in a rundown that eventually saw him erased.
• As the way the game had gone, Eckerd responded once again in the bottom half of the inning through a Joey Bazydlo RBI double that ended Skarbek's outing.
• Sean Means took over and got out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts.
• Burke sent a message by leading off the top of the sixth with his second home run in as many games.
• The onslaught continued with a Guzman double, a walk to Figueroa and a Nimmala RBI single.
• After a Guthrie flyout, Blackstone's opposite field single drove in Figueroa to make it 15-7 Florida Tech.
• Reliever Cooper Nelson was immediately greeted with a double steal as the lead runner Nimmala took home to cap the Crimson and Gray's scoring.
• Stark began the bottom of the inning by reaching on a Figueroa fielding error that allowed him to take second.
• Cabina reached on a hit by pitch and following a strikeout, both runners moved up 90 feet on a Jones single to load the bases.
• A Gelwick single and Schumaker sacrifice fly cut the Tech lead to 16-9 but Means extinguished the rally by inducing a Bazydlo lineout.
• Stark would be responsible for Eckerd's final run of the day in the bottom of the 7th, reaching on a two-out single, moving to second on a wild pitch and then scoring on Cabina's RBI single.
• Ethan Stephens tossed two scoreless innings to earn Florida Tech the victory as well as the series win.

NOTABLE PANTHERS:

• Every Panther recorded a hit, four had multi-hit games and seven of nine hitters drove in at least one run.
• Gabe Garrett went three-for-four with three RBI, two walks and a stolen base.
• Carlos Guzman had two doubles and two RBI.
• Akhil Nimmala went two-for-three at the plate with two RBI and two walks.
• Pedro Figueroa homered for the second time in a week.
• Jason Blackstone went two-for-five at the plate for his second multi-hit game of the season.
• Jaden Hill drove in two and swiped his ninth stolen base of the season.
• Ridge Skarbek, Sean Means and Ethan Stephens combined to strike out eight batters over seven innings of work, allowing just two earned runs

GAME TWO:
Final: Florida Tech 6, Eckerd 7
Records: Florida Tech (23-18, 13-11 SSC) | Eckerd (10-26, 5-13 SSC)
Location: St. Petersburg, Fla. | Turley Athletic Complex

STATS OF THE GAME:

• For the third time in the series, Eckerd scored in their first turn at-bat, doing so with the aid of a Panther miscue.
• With two out and a runner at first, Cabina hit a ball to second that gave Dominguez trouble, allowing the inning to continue.
• Jones made that error count, as his single through the left side off of Florida Tech starter Trenten Anderson scored Escobar and give the Tritons the early lead.
• Figueroa picked up his teammate by going deep for the second consecutive game, this time taking the second pitch of the top of the second inning for another opposite field blast.
• Defensive mishaps put Florida Tech behind again in the bottom of the third as a Lenzen throwing error on a pickoff attempt allowed Garrido to hurry to third.
• Stark immediately followed with a ball to second that Dominguez couldn't corral to put the Tritons back in front.
• Once again, the Crimson and Gray responded in their next turn at-bat, doing so this time with two out and nobody out.
• Nimmala started the rally with an infield single and then moved ahead to second when Dominguez single to center.
• Guthrie's bouncer through the right side drove in Nimmala to tie the game, setting the stage for Anthony Fimiano.
• Fimiano then sliced a double into the right field corner that easily scored Dominguez and allowed Guthrie to score all the way from first without a throw.
• Eckerd flipped the game on its head in the bottom of the sixth, which saw the first three batters reach on a single, bunt single and fielding error.
• Jordan Alzate's high chopper went over the head of Dominguez, scoring two to tie the game and saw Alzate hustle to second on the play.
• Bazydlo's RBI groundout gave the Tritons and Garrido's sacrifice fly out provided an insurance run.
• Eckerd added in further in the bottom of the seventh, as the first two batters reached against new Panther reliever Ryan Spitzer.
• Following a strikeout, Spitzer gave way to Noah Steckley, who struck out the first batter he faced but a double steal and a walk loaded the bases for Bazydlo, who would draw a base on balls to increase the lead to 7-4.
• The Crimson and Gray showed signs of life in the top of the eighth against Tritons reliever Nick Rainey, starting with Burke's leadoff single to right.
• A pair of groundouts moved Burke to third and Dominguez's single to center plated him to make it 8-6.
• The rally, however, would be short-circuited when Dominguez was caught stealing.
• Not for the first time this season, Guthrie homered in the top of the ninth inning when Tech were in need of one, this time doing so to lead off the frame.
• Garrett worked a two-out walk but would be forced out at second on a Wiggins grounder to end the game.

NOTABLE PANTHERS:

• Jacob Guthrie led Florida Tech's 11-hit output with three of his own, including his second home run of the campaign.
• Pedro Figueroa homered for the second consecutive game and the third game in four.
• Trenten Anderson gave up two earned runs on seven hits over six innings of work, striking out six and walking two on 96 pitches.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• All-time vs. Eckerd: 73-58
• Tech is now 33-22 at Eckerd since 1991. This was their sixth consecutive series win in St. Petersburg dating back to 2009.
• Pedro Figueroa is the first Panther to hit a home run in both ends of a doubleheader since Jacob Buser on April 7, 2018 at Lynn.
• Noah Burke joins Cole Patrick as the only Panthers to hit 10 or more home runs in the 2020s so far.

UP NEXT: The Panthers return to the diamond of Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field on Friday, April 18th when they begin their final home series of the season against #1 ranked Tampa. First pitch is scheduled for 6 P.M. For the latest news, updates, and information on Florida Tech Baseball, 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