Five-Run First Propels Florida Tech Past Catawba


Grant McKown went 3-for-5 on Tuesday - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography
The Florida Tech Panthers got a big 10-6 victory on Tuesday, against the number 22 Catawba Indians in a Division II baseball clash. The Indians came into the game averaging 10 runs a game and hitting .356 as a team. Panthers starting pitcher Grant Willcoxon held them at bay for the first four innings.

“I thought our starting pitching did a great job of setting the tone and executing some quality pitches,” said Panthers coach Greg Berkemeier. "We did a good job of controlling the top of the lineup there. Those guys can really hit. It’s a credit to our staff.”

Florida Tech (13-5) got out of the gates quickly, tagging Indians starter Bryan Ketchie for five runs in the first inning. Reid Neal singled with one out and went to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Grant McKown. Daniel Szpik and Ryan Sinzenich hit back-to-back RBI singles and Nick Capra was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

One out later, James Gronberg drilled a two-run single to right-center, making it 4-0 and the Panthers final run came on an RBI single off the bat of Trent Masih. The Panthers sent 10 men to the plate in the frame.

“We did a better job there executing some small ball early on,” said Berkemeier. “Put some guys in motion, put some pressure on them and we were able to capitalize.”

The Panthers looked poised to add to the lead in the bottom of the second, with a double from McKown that went over the left fielder’s head. Szpik followed with a single to right, but McKown was called out at the plate on the throw from right fielder Luke Setzer. The play was close and it brought Berkemeier out of the dugout, but his argument with the home plate umpire fell on deaf ears.

Florida Tech missed another opportunity in the bottom of the third. Capra started it with a single and David Wilson followed with a bunt single. One out later, with Masih at the plate, Capra took off for third, but was out by plenty.

The Indians (13-5) finally put things together in the top of the fifth. After Willcoxon walked the first batter he faced, Berkemeier came out with hook in hand and brought Jake Lane in to pitch. Jackson Raper reached on an error and Bryce Fowler brought Smith home with a double. Fowler went 3-for-4 on the day.

Malachi Hanes singled to make it 5-2 and a sac bunt by Jeremy Simpson made it a 5-3 game. Willcoxon pitched 4+ innings, giving up just two hits and one run. He struck out three and walked one.

It didn’t take long for the Panthers to answer, scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning. Capra doubled and came home on a Gronberg single. Gronberg went to second on the throw and stole third. He came home on a Masih single, giving the Panthers a 7-3 cushion. After John Sternagel was hit by a pitch, moving Masih to second. He scored on a Neal double, making it 8-3. Sternagel tried to score as well, but was tagged out at the plate.

Catawba cut the lead in half with a solo homer by Kyle Smith in the sixth and cut it to an 8-6 game in the seventh on a Haynes two-run shot.

Florida Tech used the long ball to get those two runs back in the bottom of the eighth. Sternagel led the inning off with a jack. It was his only hit of the day, but it extended his streak to 17 hits in his last 18 games. McKown added his own solo blast one out later.

“That was huge, to tack on some extra runs there, some insurance” Berkemeier said. “We were at the bottom part of their order which was the part that’s been hurting us. You can only hold the top of that lineup down for so long, so those were big insurance runs.”

For more info: Catawba University @ Florida Tech Box Score

“Overall, I thought we played fundamentally, well,” said Berkemeier. “Good job all around and got a good team win there. Just gotta continue to build on that.”

Florida Tech begins conference play this weekend with a three-game home series against Florida Southern. Friday’s game starts at 6:00 p.m., while Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled for a noon start.


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