Panthers Split with Valdosta State


The Florida Tech softball team split a doubleheader with Valdosta State on Tuesday, winning game one 11-2, before dropping the second game 6-5.

The Panthers did all their damage in two of the five innings played in the first game, pounding out 13 hits. Alexus Smith finished game one 3-for-4 and the Karina Suicava, who has done a great job in the nine spot for the Panthers in the early going, finishing 3-for-3 on Tuesday, with two RBIs.

Rachel Pence (7-2) gave up five hits in her five innings of work, with both Valdosta State runs coming in the first inning. She walked two and did not strike out a batter.

Blazers pitcher Avery Lamb went the first three innings, with the Panthers exploding for seven runs in the top of the third. Suicava and Smith singled and Krista Patterson drew a walk to load the bases. Vanessa Rubio doubled in two, tying the game and the Panthers were off and running.

Hailey Leonard’s RBI ground out made it 3-2 and Makayla Palmer had an RBI double, making it 4-2. Palmer scored the fifth run on a wild pitch and Suicava, up for the second time in the inning, knocked in Audrey Gangloff. Smith followed with an RBI single, capping the seven-run inning.

Kathryn Carter took over in the fourth and the Panthers wasted no time, touching her up for four runs in the fourth inning. A single by Leonard was sandwiched between walks to Rubio and Palmer, loading the bases for the second straight inning. Rachel Kraak stroked a two-run single to center, making it 9-2.

Kaitlin Buchholz hit into a double play, plating another run and Suicava came through again with an RBI double.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Valdosta State Box score (Game 1)

Florida Tech (10-5) got off to a good start in game two, when Rubio took Blazers pitcher Kasie Johnson deep, leading off the game. It was one of only three hits on the day for the visitors.

Chelsea Canara answered with a homer in the bottom of the third, off Panthers starter Amanda Kahn.

Kahn (3-1) ran into trouble in the fourth, giving up run scoring singles to Jessica Mohl and Canara before giving way to McKenzie Krutsinger. Taylor Hartenbach hit one to third that was booted, giving the Blazers two more runs and a 6-1 lead.

Kahn was charged with six runs (four earned) in 3.1 innings. She gave up six hits, walked three and struck out one. Krutsinger gave up a hit and struck out one in two-thirds of an inning of work. Pence finished things up, pitching the final two innings, striking out two.

Florida Tech went down swinging in the fifth, two coming on separate errors and two more on a 2-run single by Smith, but it wasn’t enough as the Panthers fell one run short.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Valdosta State Box Score (Game 2)

The Panthers road trip continues Friday with their first Sunshine State Conference series, against the Tampa Spartans at 6:00 p.m. Things will wrap up Saturday, with a doubleheader on Saturday at noon and 2:00 p.m.


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