Neal Home Run Secures Panthers Victory

Reid Neal - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

Reid Neal broke a 4-4 seventh inning tie with a two-run home run Friday night, sending the Florida Tech Panthers to a 7-4 win over Sunshine State Conference foe, Saint Leo. It was the seventh long ball of the season for Neal.

Florida Tech (24-15, 8-5 SSC) took an early lead with three runs in the top of the second, against Lions’ starter Tyler Bauman. Dan Szpik singled and after Nick Capra walked, David Wilson singled Szpik home, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third and Bauman proceeded to walk Ryan Sinzenich and Vincenzo Catanza, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Trent Masih hit into a double play, allowing the third run to score.

The Panthers added a run in the third, when John Sternagel walked stole second and later got caught between third and home, before scoring on an errant throw. That made it 4-0.

Ty Cohen, who got the start for the Panthers stayed out of trouble until the bottom of the third, when an error a walk and a wild pitch set up the Lions first run and Chase Turner hit a two-run homer to left, making it a 4-3 game.

Saint Leo (18-21, 3-13 SSC) would tie things up in the bottom of the sixth on a Derek Gibree RBI single.  The run was unearned, because of an error earlier in the inning. Cohen started the frame, but he did not finish it, giving way to Brett Porter. Cohen went 5.1 innings, giving up four runs (0 earned) on seven hits. He walked two and struck out four.

Eoin McAvinchey (2-6) would be the third Saint Leo pitcher of the night, starting the seventh inning. He would give up a one out single to Grant McKown, who went to second on a balk. He wouldn’t be there long, as Neal launched one deep over the right field wall, giving the Panthers a 6-4 lead. The Panthers would get four straight hits in the inning, before Francis Ortiz came in out of the bullpen, to end the inning.

Luke Lorah started the bottom of the eighth on the mound for FIT, but he ran into trouble early and closer Drew Beyer had to bail him out. Beyer got Brett Coffel to bounce out and then, with runners on second and third, blew a fastball by Gibree to end the threat.

Beyer would then send Saint Leo down in order in the ninth, striking out two and earning his sixth save. Porter got his first win of the season, as he was the pitcher of record when Neal hit the home run. He pitched 1.2 innings, striking out three of the five batters he faced.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Saint Leo Box Score

McKown (2-for-5), Szpik (2-for-5), Wilson (2-for-4), and Masih (2-for-4) combined for eight of the Panthers 11 hits. The Lions had nine knocks, with Turner and Gibree collecting two each.

The series wraps up Saturday, with a doubleheader. Game one is set for a 1:00 p.m. start.


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