Panthers Split Saturday Slugfest at Saint Leo

Grant McKown - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

Florida Tech and Saint Leo both showcased their offense on Saturday, as the teams combined for 38 runs in a doubleheader. The Lions took game one 11-5 and the Panthers stormed back to take game two, 17-5. The Panthers hit six home runs in game two alone, three of those coming in the first inning.

They hit two in game one, including a leadoff homer from Grant McKown. Saint Leo came back with three runs in the bottom of the second, before the Panthers got one back in the top of the third, on a Dan Szpik RBI single.

Florida Tech starter Tyler Deel ran into trouble again in the bottom of the sixth, after getting the first two outs. Derek Gibree walked and went to second on a Lane Stancil single. An RBI single by Dylan Harris made it 4-1. That was the end of the day for Deel, who gave way to Justin Barney. A two-run double by Mata and an RBI single by Chase Turner, gave the home team a 7-2 lead. Rhett Willis took over for Barney and got the final out.

Deel (4-4) pitched 5.2 innings, giving up six runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out two. Barney did not record an out, allowing one run on two hits.

The Panthers didn’t go down without a fight. Reid Neal drew a two out walk and John Sternagel singled, putting runners at the corners. Szpik followed with a three-run blast off Saint Leo starter Jordan Pendleton, cutting the Lions lead to 7-5. After giving up a single to Nick Capra, Pendleton was lifted in favor of Zach Whitaker.

Any thought of completing the comeback was erased when Saint Leo matched the three runs in the bottom of the seventh, highlighted by a Harris two-run single. That made it 10-5 and they would add one more in the eighth.
The Panthers had nine hits in the game, with Szpik and Ryan Sinzenich finishing with two each.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Saint Leo Box Score (Game 1)

Game two was a completely different story for the Panthers, as they pounded out 18 hits and exploded for six runs in the first inning, en route to the 17-5 victory.

McKown led the game off with a solo home run for the second time and it only got worse for Lions starter Blake Bodin. After Neal reached on an error, Sternagel hit a long ball over the left field wall, making it 3-0. Szpik doubled and later scored on a Capra sac fly, giving the Panthers a four-run cushion and Ryan Sinzenich capped the frame with a two-run shot.

Saint Leo (19-22, 4-14 SSC) got to Florida Tech starter Grant Willcoxon for three in the third, cutting the lead in half. A two-run double by Zach Scott and a bases loaded walk Shane Williams did the damage in that frame.

Dan Szpik - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

McKown hit his second homer of the day and third of the game in the top of the fourth, giving the Panthers a 7-4 lead and they would show no mercy in the sixth, putting up a five-spot. Zac Orchard’s RBI double got things going and Neal and Szpik each hit two-run home runs, making it 12-3.

A sac fly by Vincenzo Catanza and an error gave the Panthers two more runs in the seventh. After Saint Leo scored one in the bottom of the inning, the lead was 10 for the Panthers.

Florida Tech (25-16, 9-6 SSC) scored their final three runs in the eighth. An RBI single by Capra and a two-run double by Catanza gave the Panthers their 17 runs. The Lions would score one in the bottom of the eighth.

The Lions defense committed five errors in this contest, which certainly didn’t help their cause.

Colin Cristello (2-0) got the win for Florida Tech. He followed Willcoxon, with three innings of one run ball, giving up five hits.

Offensively, Szpik had a big day in game two, going 4-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Sinzenich went 3-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored and McKown went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Saint Leo Box Score (Game 2)

The Panthers return home Wednesday to host Rollins in the first game of a three-game series. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.



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