Panthers Split Double-Header against Visiting Eagles

MELBOURNE, Fla. (baseball) – Senior Steve Condotta (Mississauga, Ontario) scored four runs for the Panthers today, including both of their runs in game
two, leading his team to a double header split. Tech dropped the first game 10-7 in a high-scoring bout, but came back to win the second game 2-1 on a
fantastic pitching performance by sophomore Mike Piazza (Port St. Lucie, FL).

The first game saw the Panthers jump out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning, scoring the first four batters for the home squad. Freshman JD Davidson
(Naples, FL) led off the game for Tech with a single to right center field. He was followed by two consecutive walks issued to junior Brendan Twomey (Boca
Raton, FL) and Steve Condotta, and with the bases loaded senior Eamonn Powers (Staten Island, NY) was hit by a curveball to force in the first run.
Sophomore Kevin Villa (Miami, FL) followed Powers with a single through the left side of the infield, scoring Twomey and Condotta. Powers would eventually
come in to score on an infield groundball hit by senior Mike Messana (Pinehurst, NC).

It did not take long for the Eagles to answer back. They scored one run in the second inning when junior Vinnie Scarduzio (Jupiter, FL) crossed the plate
on an RBI-single up the middle by junior Victor Rodriguez (Cape Coral, FL).

The Eagles tied the game in the third inning, scoring three unanswered runs. After getting the first batter to fly out to right field, senior pitcher Jay
Crouse (Naples, FL) allowed five consecutive hits, including a double and a two-run triple, to tie the game 4-4. Crouse’s woes continued in the fourth
inning, giving up three more runs before making a rare early exit. Junior Brett Backman (Ontario, Canada) was called on in relief and quickly retired the
third out of the inning.

Down by three the Panthers began mounting a comeback in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Eric Trillas (Hialeah, FL) smacked a two-out single through the
left side of the infield to reach base; later in the inning he came in to score when Brendan Twomey was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

The home team scored again in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Mike Messana from third base. In the seventh inning Steve
Condotta was issued a lead-off walk. He quickly stole second and reached third on a throwing error by the catcher; Condotta came in to score the tying run
on an infield groundball hit by Eamonn Powers.

The tie did not last long, as the visitors retook the lead in the top of the eighth inning and added to it in the ninth, scoring two more runs. The game
ended with a final score 10-7 in favor of the visitors.

Brett Backman received the loss, dropping his record to 2-1. He pitched 4.1 innings and allowed five hits and two runs while striking out two. Jay Crouse,
who started the game, pitched 3.2 innings while allowing 10 hits, seven runs, and two walks while striking out five. Sophomore Justin Arsenault (Camillus,
NY) pitched the final three outs, allowing a run on two hits.

JD Davidson had a strong offensive showing for the Panthers in the first game, going 3-4 at the plate while driving in an RBI and scoring a run.
Kevin Villa, Eric Trillas, and senior Will Lanier (Jacksonville, FL) all went 2-4; Villa drove in two runs.

Game two was a pitching duel until the final inning. Both of the starting pitchers, visiting senior pitcher Jason Kiley (Palm Harbor, FL) and Tech’s
sophomore Mike Piazza, each went the distance, allowing five hits a piece and one earned run.

The Eagles jumped on the board first in the top of the third inning. Junior Paul Fibbe (Jacksonville, FL) led off the inning with a single up the middle
and reached second on a walk to sophomore teammate Casey Coleman. After advancing to third on a wild pitch Fibbe scored on an RBI single. That was the only
run the visitors would manufacture in the game.

The Panthers scored their first run of the game in the fourth inning. Steve Condotta was issued a leadoff walk, stole second base, and scored on a double
by the clean-up batter, Eamonn Powers. Condotta scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single through the left side of the infield by
Kevin Villa. In the seventh inning Mike Piazza set the Eagles down in order to end the game, giving the Panthers a 2-1 win.

Piazza pitched the entire seven-inning game, allowing five hits, one run, and two walks while striking out seven. With the win he improves to 3-0.

Eagles pitcher Jason Kiley pitched six innings and allowed five hits, two runs, and three walks while striking out two; his record falls to 2-2.

With the split the Panther’s record stands at 9-4 while the Eagles are now 10-4. Tomorrow the two teams will face off in the rubber match, with first pitch
scheduled for 1:00 pm.

Game 1

Florida Gulf Coast IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO
—————————————————————————-
Richard Bleier ………… 5.1 8 6 6 3 5 0 0 2 0 21 27 2 7
J.J. Crumbley W,3-0……. 2.2 1 1 1 1 5 0 0 0 0 8 10 1 2
Luis Pardo S,2………… 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 2

Florida Tech IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO
—————————————————————————-
Jay Crouse ……………. 3.2 10 7 7 2 5 0 0 0 0 19 22 2 3
Brett Backman L,2-1……. 4.1 5 2 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 14 19 5 5
Justin Arsenault ………. 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 2 0

HBP – by Bleier (Powers); by Bleier (Twomey); by Backman (Rodriguez).

Strikeouts – Coleman; Peacock; Scarduzio; Mollica; Rodriguez; Borrell; Smith; Twomey
2; Powers; Palace 2; Messana 2; Trillas; Lanier 2. Walks – Peacock; Scarduzio;
Twomey; Condotta 2; Messana.

Umpires –
Start: 12:00 pm Time: 2:50 Attendance: 135

Backman faced 1 batter in the 9th.

Game 2

Score by Innings R H E
—————————————–
Florida Gulf Coast.. 001 000 0 – 1 5 1
Florida Tech…….. 000 101 X – 2 5 0
—————————————–

E – Rassel(3). LOB – Eagles 5; Panthers 5. SH – Villa(1). SB – Rassel(4);
Condotta(14); Demma(1).

Florida Gulf Coast IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO
—————————————————————————-
Jason Kiley L,2-2……… 6.0 5 2 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 21 25 5 9

Florida Tech IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO
—————————————————————————-
Mike Piazza W,3-0……… 7.0 5 1 1 2 7 1 0 0 0 25 27 7 6

WP – Piazza(1).

Strikeouts – Upchurch 2; Scarduzio; Rodriguez; Mollica; Rassel; Fibbe; Palace;
Lanier. Walks – Coleman; Scarduzio; Davidson; Condotta; Powers.

Umpires – HP: Jack Grant 1B: Frank Tasch
Start: 3:00 pm Time: 2:00 Attendance: 135