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...

Reid Neal - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography The Nova Southeastern Sharks showed why they are the defending NCAA Division II baseball champions on Sunday, completing a doubleheader sweep of the Florida Tech Panthers, winning game two, 11-6. Following a 7-6 win in game one , the Sharks found themselves down early in game two. only to fight back and take the lead late. Florida Tech followed their 14-hit barrage in game one, with 12 more in game two, but it wasn’t enough. Florida Tech (27-19, 11-9 SSC) got to NSU starter Jonny Ortiz in the top of the second inning. Nick Capra doubled and later scored on a single by Vincenzo Catanza . The lead was short-lived, as the Sharks jumped on Andy Marzheuser in the bottom of the frame. Michael Hernandez and Dylan Woods each hit two-run home runs, quickly giving the home team a 4-1 lead. To the Panthers credit, much like they did in game one, they would fight back in the top of the third.   Reid Neal , John Sternag...

Dan Szpik - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography The Florida Tech Panthers fell just short in the series opener at Nova Southeastern on Sunday, as the Sharks hung on for a 7-6 win in game one of a doubleheader. The Panthers (27-18, 11-8 SSC) were victimized by tough luck throughout the game, loading the bases a couple times and not getting the big hit and having a triple play turned by their defense, only to have the call reversed in what turned out to be the deciding play of the game. Panthers starter Ty Cohen (6-5) ran into trouble in the first inning, giving up one run on a Jeremy Vasquez RBI single. Cohen did limit the damage, despite the traffic the Sharks generated. He came back in the bottom of the second and got the Sharks in order, striking out Ryan Alvarez on three pitches and needing a total of six pitches to get out of the inning. Sharks starter Matt Hardy ran into trouble of his own in the third, giving up back-to-back singles to Ryan Sinzenich a...