MELBOURNE, Fla. – After scoring 26 runs against PBA last weekend, the Panthers only needed three runs to defeat the Florida Southern Mocs, 3-1 with the return of Sammy Murphy as Tech's ace pitcher. Murphy for the second time this season tied her career-high nine strikeouts in a game.

GAME ONE:
STATS OF THE GAME:
Final: Florida Tech 3, Florida Southern 1
Records: Florida Tech (10-3-1, 4-0 SSC) | Florida Southern (1-9, 0-4 SSC)
Location: Nancy Bottge Field | Melbourne, Fla.  
 
STATS OF THE GAME:

• Sammy Murphy set the tone in the circle, opening with a swinging strikeout and back-to-back foul popouts for a quick shutdown first inning.
• Chloe Fariello singled and stole second in the bottom half, but the Panthers couldn't bring her home.
• Murphy followed with another dominant frame, striking out the leadoff hitter and inducing two more popups.
• Malaya Nelson ripped a double down the right-field line in the second, just missing a homer, though she was left stranded.
• Murphy delivered her third straight 1-2-3 inning with another punchout to keep the Mocs off balance.
• Tech capitalized in the third as Fariello's second hit set the table and Emma Chisholm drove in two with a clutch single.
• Florida Southern put two on via errors in the fourth, but Murphy erased the threat with three strikeouts.
• The Mocs trimmed the lead to one in the fifth on a pair of singles to left.
• Fariello and Miranda Schwartz reached in the fifth, but two Panthers were cut down on the bases to end the rally.
• Haley Rider led off the sixth with a double and Nelson followed with a single to help Tech regain a two-run cushion.
• Murphy slammed the door in the seventh, matching her early innings with two popouts and a strikeout to secure the 3–1 win.

NOTABLE PANTHERS:

• In her return, Sammy Murphy pitched seven innings and recorded nine strikeouts while allowing three hits.
• Chloe Fariello's batting average continues to climb, going a perfect 3-for-3 on the night.
• Emma Chisholm's two RBI, gives her 20 RBI on the season in just 14 games.

 BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Since the start of the 2016 season, Florida Tech is 24-6 against Florida Southern. 
• The Panthers are 17-10 at Nancy Bottge Field against the Moccasins under Val Silvestrini.
• Murphy surpassed 100 career strikeouts in 24 appearances, averaging 4.3 a game. She is the fourth Panther to reach the mark this decade.

UP NEXT: Tech plays Florida Southern again in a Friday doubleheader, starting a 1 pm ET.

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