Pence Pitches Florida Tech to Doubleheader Sweep in Home Finale

Rachel Pence - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

After a dominant 13-3 win in game one, The Florida Tech Panthers completed a doubleheader sweep of Eckerd on Friday, with a 5-1 victory in game two. Florida Tech ace Rachel Pence went the distance in her final home start for Florida Tech, striking out seven batters, allowing two hits and walking only one.

It was an emotional day for Pence, who, along with six of her teammates, was honored as part of Senior Day, just before the second game got underway.

“I was concerned with how our seniors were going to do right after the senior ceremony,” said Florida Tech coach Val Silvestrini. “They get emotional and we don’t have a lot of time to get ready for the game, but they did a great job.”

The only run Pence allowed was unearned, in the first inning. Crystal Garcia hit an infield single to start the game and two batters later, Nikole Van Gennep hit one to Hailey Leonard at first. The hit off her glove and she recovered to make the play close at first, but Van Gennep was called safe, allowing Garcia to score.

Pence (17-14) bounced back nicely, retiring the next 10 batters she faced. Battery mate Makayla Palmer got Pence the lead in the bottom of the fourth, with a two-run big fly over the left field wall. Alexus Smith, who kept the inning alive with a two out single, came home ahead of Palmer.

Pence walked the leadoff hitter Dana Paul to start the fifth, breaking the stretch of 10 in a row, but she came back to get the next three outs.
Alexus Smith - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

Florida Tech (25-23) got all the insurance they would need in the bottom of the sixth. Leonard started it with a single and Sarah Hayes chased her home with a double to the gap in left-center, giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead. Alexus Smith followed with a long home run to centerfield, upping the lead to 5-1.

Pence made sure that there would be no rally in the seventh, as she struck out the side in her final inning of work at Nancy Bottge Field. With that, Pence brought her career strikeout total to 684, with three games remaining.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Eckerd Box Score

As Pence reflected on her career at FIT, she was emotional and honest, following Friday’s impressive performance.

“I feel like I’ve experienced some awesome highs with my team and some sucky lows, but its all been worth it and its all helped shape me as an athlete,” she said. “Being with this team and with the coaches has kept my passion for softball alive. I know there are some people who go through their career in college and sometimes they get burned out, but I still feel like I’m ready to go. Kudos to the teams and coaches here, they’ve kept me passionate for the game.”

She also talked about her thought process, as she took her spot in the circle, for that final, memorable inning.

“Before every pitch, I say this is yours. “What that means for me is, that’s me giving the pitch to the lord,” she said. “Its just been awesome what God has brought me through in softball and just trusting him with every pitch. That was just all the lord and it was a really cool way to end it here.”

The Panthers will end their season next weekend at Lynn. The series starts Friday with a 3:00 p.m. game and wraps up Saturday, with a doubleheader, starting at 1:00 p.m.

"Lynn is a good team and they always battle," said Silvestrini. "I think it's gonna be a great series and we wanna be the spoilers and finish on a good note."


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