Sports Lowdown

Nick Capra - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography The Florida Tech Panthers ended their 2017 regular season, splitting a doubleheader at Eckerd. After dropping the first game 11-8, in a slugfest, the Panthers used a three run fourth inning in game two, to secure a 4-2 victory. With the victory in game two, the Panthers finished the season 10 games over .500 and won four of their last five games. Game one featured five home runs and was a back-and-forth affair throughout, with Florida Tech starter Tyler Deel going just three innings and Eckerd starter Nick Alonzo, lasting just four. Neither figured in the final outcome. Florida Tech (30-20, 14-10 SSC) got a run in the top of the first. Grant McKown singled and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt later in the inning. He came home on a single by Reid Neal . Deel started the bottom of the first by hitting leadoff man Tom Buonopane, but he picked him off moments later. It was one of two pickoffs Deel had in h

Sara Grenier - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography The third time was not the charm Saturday, for the Florida Tech women’s lacrosse team. Florida Southern completed a season sweep of the Panthers, with a 16-5 victory in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament in Lakeland. Kendall Kerge, who had a big game against the Panthers earlier in the season, scored half of the Florida Southern goals in this game and added an assist for good measure. She scored on eight of her 10 shots. After a big win over East Stroudsburg on Friday, the Panthers drew a third meeting against the Moccasins and could not get through a very tough Florida Southern defense that put the clamps down early, making it difficult for the Panthers to get into any kind of rhythm. Sara Grenier and Allie Modica led the Panthers with two goals each, while Caroline Dunleavy and Aleah Fjelstad , had single tallies. Dunleavy, had seven goals and four assists on Friday, but Saturday, the Moccas

Trent Masih - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography The Florida Tech Panthers opened their final baseball series of the season Friday, with a 5-3 win over the Eckerd Tritons in St. Petersburg. Trent Masih drove in two runs, with an RBI bunt single in the fifth and a solo home run leading off the ninth inning. Reid Neal led the Panthers with a 3-for-4 showing, scoring twice and driving in a run. Dan Szpik , and Ryan Sinzenich joined Masih with two hits.  The Tritons got the scoring started when Tom Buonopane home run in the bottom of the third, against Florida Tech starter Ty Cohen . Neal answered in the top of the fourth with a solo homer, leading off the frame, against Eckerd starter Dillon McCollough . Eckerd (19-29, 8-14 SSC) regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth. After the first two batters reached on singles, Justin Glover drilled a two-run double, giving the home team a 3-1 lead. Florida Tech (29-19, 13-9 SSC) tied things up again in the