MELBOURNE, Fla. – Florida Tech battled Tampa in a tight doubleheader, falling 9–8 in a back-and-forth opener before dropping a 3–0 pitcher's duel in game two. The Panthers showed plenty of fight at the plate in game one and kept things close throughout the nightcap before a late Tampa push decided it.

GAME ONE:
STATS OF THE GAME:
Final:  Florida Tech 8, Tampa 9
Records: Florida Tech (29-15-1, 15-10 SSC) | Tampa (29-10, 16-7 SSC)
Location: Nancy Bottge Field | Melbourne, Fla.  
 
STATS OF THE GAME:

• Tampa changed the scoreboard first with a three-run homer in the opening inning
• Miranda Schwartz and Emma Chisholm answered immediately, striking back-to-back home runs to tie it 3–3 in the bottom of the first.
• Tech took control in the second inning, highlighted by Schwartz's RBI triple and a two-RBI single from Jillian Moeller to build a 6–3 lead.
• Tampa chipped away with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the lead to 6–5.
• The Spartans regained the lead in the sixth with a two-run home run, going ahead 7–6.
• The Panthers responded again in the bottom half, as Emma Chisholm delivered an RBI single and Haley Rider added a sacrifice fly to put the Panthers back on top, 8–7.
• Tampa had an answered in the seventh, scoring two runs to retake a 9–8 lead.
• Audrey Gurule doubled, giving Tech a final chance in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't find the tying run.

GAME TWO:
STATS OF THE GAME:
Final:  Florida Tech 0, Tampa 3
Records: Florida Tech (29-16-1, 15-11 SSC) | Tampa (30-10, 17-7 SSC)
Location: Nancy Bottge Field | Melbourne, Fla.  
 
STATS OF THE GAME:

• Both teams were locked in a pitcher's duel early, combining for no runs through the first six innings.
• Jillian Moeller double in the second but on a line out to the Tampa second baseman she was tagged out at second for an inning finishing double play.
• Sammy Murphy held the Spartans hitless in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings
• However, Tampa finally broke through in the seventh inning, stringing together extra-base hits to score three runs and take a 3–0 lead.
• Florida Tech had one last opportunity in the bottom of the seventh, moving a runner into scoring position, but couldn't find the breakthrough hit.
• The Spartans held on to secure the 3–0 win in a tightly contested game.

NOTABLE PANTHERS:

• Emma Chisholm and Miranda Schwartz drilled home runs in consecutive at bats for their 19^th and 11^th of the season, respectively.
• Sammy Murphy pitched a complete game, holding Tampa to zero runs through six of the and stuck out six in Game Three.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Schwartz passed Katie Naumoff (2004-2007) and Nicole Shinsky (2013-2016) for sixth and fifth on the program's career RBI list.

UP NEXT: The Panthers attempt to take both games of a doubleheader against Tampa on Saturday, April 25, at noon following Senior Day festivities.

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