Tech Grabs First Conference Win

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Florida Tech pitcher Amber West (3-2) tossed three and two-thirds brilliant innings to propel the Panthers to a 3-1 Sunshine State
Conference win over Eckerd College Friday night at Turley Field.

Eckerd (2-7, 0-1 SSC) got on the board first in the fourth inning. Right fielder Julie Kim hit a hard grounder right back to Florida Tech starter Judith
Husband for a lead-off single. Shortstop Janielle Sedoris hit Kim home with a double to center field.

As the Tritons began to connect with Husband’s pitches, Florida Tech head coach Ellie Hanover brought West in from the bullpen. West would allow no runs
and just two hits. She struck out eight batters en route to her third win of the season.

The Panthers (6-3, 1-0 SSC) tied the game in the top of the fifth. Senior catcher Courtney Harless (St. Cloud, Fla.) doubled to left field to start the
inning and scored on an error two batters later. Florida Tech took the lead in the sixth inning on senior Megan Hube’s (Bel Air, Maryland) two-run shot
over the center field wall.

Junior Amy McGathey was tagged with the loss for the Tritons. McGathey pitched a complete game, scattering six hits and allowing two earned runs, both on
the Hube home run. Sophomore third baseman Lindsey Reynolds went 2-for-3 from the lead-off spot.

Including Hube and Harless, Tech had four other Panthers hit in the first game of the series. Juniors’ Laura Chisena Ocoee, Florida) and Katie Naumoff
(Poland, Ohio) each added a hit while Naumoff pitched in one run. Senior Jennifer Salls (Madison, Florida) and sophomore Dana Buccelli (Melbourne, Florida)
also notched a hit.

Tech’s starter Judith Husband (Wewahitchka, Florida) tossed 3.1 innings while giving up one run on four hits.

The Tritons and the Panthers will meet again on Saturday for an SSC doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.