Sports Lowdown

Makayla Palmer - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography The Saint Leo Lions (34-7, 15-3 SSC) finished off a mid-week series sweep of the Florida Tech Panthers on Thursday at Nancy Bottge Field, with an 11-0 victory in five innings. This follows Wednesday’s doubleheader victory , that saw the Lions win 11-3 and 7-0. Saint Leo starter Stephanie Adkins (19-3) held the Panthers to five hits in her five-inning complete-game. Florida Tech starter Rachel Pence (14-13) sent the first six Lions down in order, before running into trouble in the third. Michelle George singled to start the inning and Alyssa Wash followed with a bunt in front of the plate. She was safe at first and with no one covering third, George was safe there on a heads-up play. A stolen base by Wash gave the Lions runners at second and third. After Pence struck out Sommer Pollard, she walked Kacie Kelly intentionally. Bailey McKenna struck out and it looked like Pence may get out of the inning. Ciera Schum...

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...

Hailey Leonard - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography Florida Tech came from behind Wednesday, beating nationally ranked Caldwell, 5-4 in eight innings. Alexus Smith capped off a 3-for-5 day with an RBI single, driving in Rachel Kraak , who started the inning at second base, as per the international tiebreaker rules. The eighth inning would have never happened if not for Hailey Leonard , who came up in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and hit a game-tying home run against Caldwell starter Sydney Ponto, tying the game, 4-4. The Cougars (4-7) broke through in the top of the fourth, against Panthers ace Rachel Pence . Marisa Monasseri and Carly Testa hit back-to-back singles. Hannah Polak knocked in pinch-runner Demitria Kitrinos, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Panthers (13-16) answered with a run in the bottom of the frame, but could have had more. Leonard tripled and one out later, Karina Suicava tried to lay down a squeeze bunt, but missed and Leona...

The Florida Tech softball team split a doubleheader with Valdosta State on Tuesday, winning game one 11-2, before dropping the second game 6-5. The Panthers did all their damage in two of the five innings played in the first game, pounding out 13 hits. Alexus Smith finished game one 3-for-4 and the Karina Suicava , who has done a great job in the nine spot for the Panthers in the early going, finishing 3-for-3 on Tuesday, with two RBIs. Rachel Pence (7-2) gave up five hits in her five innings of work, with both Valdosta State runs coming in the first inning. She walked two and did not strike out a batter. Blazers pitcher Avery Lamb went the first three innings, with the Panthers exploding for seven runs in the top of the third. Suicava and Smith singled and Krista Patterson drew a walk to load the bases. Vanessa Rubio doubled in two, tying the game and the Panthers were off and running. Hailey Leonard ’s RBI ground out made it 3-2 and Makayla Palmer had an RBI...

The Florida Tech softball team sent 15 batters to the plate in the fourth inning Saturday, scoring 11 runs in the frame and beating Stonehill 14-3, in a game that went four and a half innings before being called. Amanda Kahn pitched four innings, to secure the win. The Panthers (9-3) pounded out 11 hits in the romp, led by Karina Suicava who went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Makayla Palmer drove in three runs as well. Suicava got things started in the bottom of the second with a bases loaded single off Skyhawks starter Jennifer Mayette. Rachel Kraak , Audrey Gangloff and Alexus Smith all had hits in the inning. A wild pitch scored Smith with the third run of the inning. Stonehill (0-3) got two runs back in the top of the third inning, both unearned against Kahn. Erin Brayden drove the runs in with a single. Taylor Whaley followed that with a single, but Kraak threw Brayden out at the plate, ending the inning. The Skyhawks did tie the game ...

Florida Tech finished the NFCA Division II Leadoff Classic Sunday afternoon, taking down Georgia College, by the score of 6-5. The Panthers finished the tournament with a record of 4-1, with their only loss coming to Texas A&M-Commerce on Sunday morning. Florida Tech pounded out 13 hits, led by Hailey Leonard 's 3-for-4 day. Alexus Smith (home run), Vanessa Rubio and Karina Suicava all had multi-hit days. The Panthers carried a 6-4 lead into the seventh inning, but the Bobcats mounted a two-out rally, against Florida Tech starter Rachel Pence , scoring twice before Faith Flanders to flied out with the tying run at second, to end the game. Georgia College got to Pence in the top of the third. Amber Coy singled driving in two runs and Flanders had an RBI single, giving her team a 3-0 lead. Florida Tech (7-3) closed the gap in the bottom of the inning, getting to Georgia College starter Kayla Price, for two runs. Smith started the inning with a double. Afte...