MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech softball split the day with Embry-Riddle, falling 3–1 in the doubleheader opener before rallying for a 4–3 walk-off win in Game Three. The Panthers claimed the first-ever softball Karman Clash rivalry series, erasing a three-run deficit in the finale to secure the comeback victory.
GAME ONE:
STATS OF THE GAME:
Final: RV Florida Tech 1, Embry-Riddle 3
Records: Florida Tech (27-11-1, 13-6 SSC) | Embry-Riddle (17-19, 3-14 SSC)
Location: Nancy Bottge Field | Melbourne, Fla.
STATS OF THE GAME:
- Starting in the circle for Florida Tech, Chloe Fariello, opened strong, striking out two on swings in a clean first inning.
- In the second inning, Emma Chisholm made a heads up play at first. After tagging the base for the ground out she quickly tagging the runner trying to return to first.
- Malaya Nelson single to lead off the bottom of the second but was stranded at third.
- Embry-Riddle broke through in the fourth inning with three consecutive hits, pushing across the first run to take a 1–0 lead.
- The Eagles added to their lead in the fifth, putting up two more runs for a 3-0 advantage.
- Fariello and the defense settled back in, retiring the final seven batters and keeping Embry-Riddle off the board the rest of the way.
- Emma Chisholm provided a late spark in the seventh with a solo home run to cut the deficit to 3–1.
- The Panthers brought the tying run to the plate in the final inning, but Embry-Riddle held on for the win.
GAME TWO:
STATS OF THE GAME:
Final: RV Florida Tech 4, Embry-Riddle 3
Records: Florida Tech (28-11-1, 14-6 SSC) | Embry-Riddle (17-20, 3-15 SSC)
Location: Nancy Bottge Field | Melbourne, Fla.
STATS OF THE GAME:
- Sammy Murphy was tasks with securing the series after a masterful performance in Game One however Embry-Riddle capitalized early, scoring three unearned runs in the first inning to take a 3–0 lead.
- Murphy and the defense settled in the next inning as Kate Rodel caught a runner stealing third, helping get out of the inning despite two Eagle singles.
- The Panthers shut down the Eagles in the third with a 1-23 inning.
- Tech fought back in the bottom of the inning as Fariello tripled in a run and Miranda Schwartz followed with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 3–2.
- Following another three-up, three-down fourth inning, the Panthers tied it in the fourth inning, capitalizing on an error and a fielder's choice that scored Malaya Nelson.
- In the fifth, Murphy struck out two innings swinging, while two runners were on base.
- The Eagles had two runners on and looked like they were going to take the lead on a single but Fariello threw the ball home and got the Eagle player out at home, keeping the game tied.
- Florida Tech threatened in the sixth with a triple from Terito but couldn't push across the go-ahead run.
- Ella Niles and Fariello made it safely to base on well-placed bunts then moved to scoring position on a Schwartz sacrifice bunt.
- After Chisholm's walk loaded the bases and a fielder's choice out, Jillian Moeller was successful bunting Fariello home for the walk-off 4-3 victory.
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
- Sammy Murphy grabbed her second win of the series, pitching a complete game while allowing zero earned runs and striking out four.
- Chloe Fariello was 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI in the Game Three victory. She also pitched a complete game and tallied four punchouts in Game Two.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- The Panthers increased their lead in the all-time series to 17-15 and 13-6 at home.
- Tech has won six of the nine series between the teams.
- Have won all four of the conference series played at Nany Bottge Field.
- Emma Chisholm's 17th home run of the season ties her for second most ever in SSC history.
- Chisholm also broke the program's single season record for total bases which was previously 115 by Elisa Bartolo set in 1995.
UP NEXT: Florida Tech softball hits the road for a three-game series at Eckerd, starting on Friday, April 17 at 7 p.m. ET.
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