Sports Lowdown

Makayla Palmer - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography Florida Tech battled back from a couple early deficits on Thursday, but couldn’t push the tying run across, as Eckerd hung on for a 9-8 victory in game one of the Panthers final home series of the season. Florida Tech starter Rachel Pence got out of a little bit of trouble in the first and came back to strike out two batters in the second inning, before running into trouble in the third. An RBI single by Chelsea Armstrong made it 1-0 and two batters later, Carrie Shere took Pence deep, giving the visitors a 4-0 lead. The Panthers (23-23, 8-11 SSC) got back into the game in the bottom of the fourth, scoring three runs against Tritons starter Nikole Van Gennep. Makayla Palmer started the inning with a single and went to second on a single by Vanessa Rubio .  Julianna Goldberg ’s double plated Palmer, making it 4-1. A single by Karina Suicava brought Rubio in, cutting the lead to 4-2 and a steal of second by Suic...

Katie Maiello - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography Makayla Palmer knocked in two runs and Katie Maiello had three of the five Florida Tech hits Friday night, leading their team to a 3-1 victory over Florida Southern in a Sunshine State Conference softball clash. Florida Tech (22-21, 7-9 SSC) struck first in the top of the third. Hailey Leonard was hit by a pitch for the third time in the last two days. Maiello singled and went to second on the throw that Leonard drew at third base. After Florida Southern starter Brandi Jones (2-10) hit Alexus Smith to load the bases, she walked Krista Patterson one out later, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead. The Mocs (13-20, 4-12 SSC) tied things up in the bottom of the inning, against Florida Tech starter Rachel Pence . After striking out the first two batters, Pence gave up a single to Desirae Klumpp. She would eventually score on a passed ball. Leonard would start the fifth the same way she started the third, taking one...

Rachel Pence - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography Florida Tech got their second win of the day on Wednesday, in convincing fashion, beating Kutztown University 5-2. Rachel Pence , who earned a no-decision in the Panthers 5-4 win over the Caldwell Cougars in the morning game, came back with a complete game three hitter in game two. Pence (9-9) has had her struggles this year and their game been times her defense has let her down, but in this game, Pence was on top of her game, striking out seven, to go along with the six she had in game one. She only gave up one hit in the first six innings. Sara Keeny laid down a bunt single. That was long after the Panthers offense gave Pence a nice cushion. Florida Tech (14-16) got on the board in the bottom of the first. Katie Maiello drew a one out walk and came home on a Krista Patterson double. Patterson then scored when Makayla Palmer reached on an error, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead. The Panthers added to the lead i...

After a back-and-forth affair between Barry and Florida Tech in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, the teams put on one heck of an encore, with Florida Tech pulling out a 14-13 victory at Nancy Bottge Field and earning a much-needed split. “That’s something I’m really proud of, these kids keep battling and never quit,” said Panthers coach Val Silvestrini after the game. “We had to come back in several situations.” A single by Hailey Leonard in the bottom of the seventh, drove in the 27 th run of the game and capped off over four hours of baseball between the two games.  The victory meant the Panthers avoided a sweep and more importantly, gave them their first conference win of the season. Things did not start well for Florida Tech, as Barry got an unearned run against starter Amanda Kahn , when shortstop Krista Patterson dropped a ball that would’ve ended the inning. After a fielder’s choice kept the inning going, Kahn got Avery Cotterill, swinging to end the ...