Florida Tech Splits with Florida Gulf Coast in Softball
MELBOURNE, Fla. (softball) — The Florida Tech Panthers (3-1) split for the day with provisional NCAA Division I opponents Florida Gulf Coast University
Eagles (3-1) 6-1 and 4-0 at the Nancy Bottge Field. Despite falling 6-1 in the opening meeting the Panthers managed to score in both contests while junior
pitcher Amber West (Apopka, Fla.) shut down the Eagles in the second game.
West hurled her second win on the season allowing only four hits for the shut out. She faced 22 batters fanning four while walking only two for seven
innings pitched.
Senior shortstop Laura Chisena (Ocoee, Fla.) went 4-for-6 for the day launching one double with an RBI. Chisena was the only Panther to hit above .500
finishing with a .667 batting average.
Seniors’ Kristen Fettes (Deltona, Fla.) and Katie Naumoff (Poland, Ohio) along with junior Ashley Lugo (Cape Coral, Fla.) each added two hits with Lugo
smacking Tech’s only other double against the Eagles.
In game one, the crimson and gray sluggers had a rough time defensively causing four of the six runs to be earned on Tech errors. The winning run
ultimately was decided in the first inning off of three panther throwing errors with lead off batter Jessica Gary (Naples, Fla.) scoring the first run and
Cheyenne Jenks (Naples, Fla.) notching the eventual game winning run.
One of the Florida Gulf Coast’s highlights was a launched shot over the left field wall by Carmen Paez (Belle Glad, Fla.) in the top of the third. This was
Paez’s second homer of the season.
The final two runs came in the sixth with Paez plating pinch runner Christa Piquette (Barrington, R.I.) after Jenks reached on a shot over Naumoff’s head
down the left line. Senior Jessica Rouse (Jacksonville, Fla.) reached home scoring the Eagles final run on a passed ball.
Despite the six point deficit, Tech sparked a seventh inning revival breaking up Eagles starting pitcher Rachel Edinger’s shut out. Edinger was awarded the
win with five hits on one run while striking out 13 Panthers.
Freshman Ida Danielson (Fairfield, Cal.), now 0-1, made her first collegiate start giving up only one earned run on six hits. Danielson went four innings
fanning two and walking three. Fellow freshman hurler Heather Boyts (Sarasota, Fla.) closed the game throwing three innings also allowing only one earned
run on two hits for the game. Boyts walked three and struck out one batter.
Junior Ali Wiegand (Tallahassee, Fla.) scored Tech’s lone run after being placed on base by a ball to the back. Fellow junior newcomer Jen Wise (Lakeland,
Fla.) moved Wiegand around on a single hit hard to short. With Tech’s batting order back at the top, Chisena smacked a shot against the centerfield wall to
plate Weigand.
In game two, the Panthers came off the break ready to roll scoring the game winners in the first both Chisena and Lugo scored off of singles hit by Naumoff
and Danielson respectively. Chisena again came back to score an unearned run after her third stolen base of the day placed her in the scoring position.
Freshman Leah Tymeson (Lincoln University, Penn.) notched the final run of the game after reaching on a walk. Junior Danielle Stanley (Garyson,
Ga.) plated the final score on an attempted sacrifice bunt that was overthrown at first showing off Stanley’s speed reaching third base.
Florida Tech will be back in action this weekend traveling to Pensacola, Fla. to play in West Florida’s Softball Tournament Friday through Sunday. Follow
the Panthers live via the website at http://gopanthers.fit.edu .
GAME ONE
Florida Gulf Coast 6, Florida Tech 1 (02/06/07 at Melbourne, Fla.) (Game 1)
———————————————————————-
Florida Gulf Coast.. 211 002 0 – 6 8 0 (3-0)
Florida Tech…….. 000 000 1 – 1 5 4 (2-1)
———————————————————————-
Pitchers: Florida Gulf Coast – Rachael Edinger. Florida Tech – Ida Danielson; Heather Boyts(5).
Win-Rachael Edinger(2-0) Loss-Ida Danielson(0-1) T-4:08 pm A-65
HR FGCU – Carmen Paez (2).
Game: FTS03
GAME TWO
Florida Tech 4, Florida Gulf Coast 0 (02/06/07 at Melbourne, Fla.) (Game 2)
———————————————————————-
Florida Gulf Coast.. 000 000 0 – 0 4 2 (3-1)
Florida Tech…….. 210 001 X – 4 8 0 (3-1)
———————————————————————-
Pitchers: Florida Gulf Coast – Dana Frantz; Sarah Backe(6). Florida Tech – Amber West.
Win-Amber West(2-0) Loss-Dana Frantz(1-1) T-6:03 A-0
Game: FTS04
