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 Florida Tech Panthers achieved season highs in runs and hits Monday night, as they scored a 21-5 victory over Nova Southeastern in the series finale. Every Florida Tech starter had a hit, with Ryan Sinzenich going 4-for-5 and Trent Masih going 4-for-6. Reid Neal and Nick Capra had three hits each and pinch-hitter Erik Molina hit his first home run of the season, a three-run dinger in the ninth inning, capping the scoring for the Panthers. This was an 8-5 game in the fourth inning, but the Panthers ran and hid late, scoring 12 runs in the final three innings and securing their 12 th Sunshine State Conference win of the season. Florida Tech starter Tyler Deel went five innings, picking up his fifth win of the season. The Panthers scored four runs in the top of the first, highlighted by a 2-run home run of the bat of Dan Szpik . Neal’s RBI single and an RBI triple from John Sternagel , produced the first...

David Wilson - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography A game that started as a pitcher’s duel on Friday, turned into a lopsided 8-0 Florida Tech victory in the final game of a three-game series against visiting Rollins. The win gives Florida Tech the series win, as they took two of three games.  The Panthers sent 13 seniors off in grand style, pounding out 12 hits. Reid Neal (2-for-5), Dan Szpik (2-for-5) and Vincenzo Catanza (4-for-4), all had big days for the Panthers.  Rollins starter Brian Auerbach and Panthers hurler Tyler Deel were shutting the opposing offenses down for much of the first half of the game. Florida Tech did threaten in the bottom of the first when Neal and Szpik singled. Neal tried to score on the Szpik hit, but he was nabbed at the plate, a 9-3-2 put out. In the top of the fourth, Chris Corbett got the first hit off Deel, a one out double to left. David Wilson dropped the ball in left, allowing Corbett to go to third. Nick ...

Grant McKown - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography Florida Tech and Saint Leo both showcased their offense on Saturday, as the teams combined for 38 runs in a doubleheader. The Lions took game one 11-5 and the Panthers stormed back to take game two, 17-5. The Panthers hit six home runs in game two alone, three of those coming in the first inning. They hit two in game one, including a leadoff homer from Grant McKown . Saint Leo came back with three runs in the bottom of the second, before the Panthers got one back in the top of the third, on a Dan Szpik RBI single. Florida Tech starter Tyler Deel ran into trouble again in the bottom of the sixth, after getting the first two outs. Derek Gibree walked and went to second on a Lane Stancil single. An RBI single by Dylan Harris made it 4-1. That was the end of the day for Deel, who gave way to Justin Barney . A two-run double by Mata and an RBI single by Chase Turner, gave the home team a 7-2 lead. Rhett Willis took ove...

Reid Neal - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography Following their 10-2 win on Friday , highlighted by a grand slam off the bat of Reid Neal , the Panthers continued their power surge on Saturday, with a sweep of a doubleheader. Florida Tech won game one, 9-4, helped by another Neal slam and they took game two, 5-3, with the decisive home run off the bat of Dan Szpik . David Wilson had home runs in both games. In game one, Barry jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, when Julian Abreu took FIT starter Tyler Deel over the right field wall, on a 1-0 pitch. In the top of the second, Florida Tech tied the game when Grant McKown took a 3-2 pitch from Barry starter Luis Deville, tying the game at one. That brought Neal to the plate and he wasted no time, drilling an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left-center, giving the Panthers a 5-1 lead. Szpik made a great diving catch in the bottom of the third, but a Justin Lamazares double and an error made it a 5-2 gam...