Tech Swept by Mocs in SSC Series, Lose Doubleheader 4-2, 13-2
LAKELAND, FL- The Florida Tech Panthers were swept this weekend by Sunshine State Conference Rivals Florida Southern in a double header, dropping the first
game 4-2 and the second 13-2. Tech lost to the Moc’s yesterday 6-2, and falls to 21-18 overall, 6-9 in the SSC.
Senior Mike Succio Jr (Melbourne, FL) pitched a complete game one for the Panthers. In his eight innings on the mound Succio allowed four runs on nine and
one walk while striking out seven. Despite the great pitching effort the Panther hurler falls to 6-3 on the season.
Tech scored the first run of the game in the top of the third. With one out junior Steve Condotta (Mississauga, Canada) singled up the middle. During the
next at-bat Condotta stole both second and third base, and eventually scored on an outfield single by senior Devin Hopkins (Pembroke Pines, FL).
The Moc’s tied the game in the bottom of the inning when senior Nick Diyorio (Mulberry, FL) smacked a solo homerun over the leftfield wall. In the bottom
of the fourth the home team took the lead, scoring two runs on four hits, notching the game at 3-1.
The Panther scored their final run of the first game in the top of the seventh inning. Steve Condotta started the inning with a double down the leftfield
line. The next two batters, junior Jon Baksh (Mississauga, Canada) and Devin Hopkins, both hit sacrifice flies to allow Condotta to cross the plate for the
second time of the game.
Florida Southern added one more run to their total in the bottom of the seventh. With a runner on second and one out Nick Diyorio drove an RBI single to
right field, bringing the score to 4-2.
Steve Condotta had another strong game at the plate. He went 3-4 with both of Tech’s runs. Devin Hopkins drove Condotta in on both occasions, going 1-3 at
the plate with a sac fly.
The Panthers did not manage to fair as well in game two of the double header, losing with a final score 13-2. Tech scored their first run in the second
inning on a leadoff homerun by senior Randy Pitts (Melbourne, FL). The Panthers scored their second and final run in the top of the fifth inning. With one
out and runners on second and third sophomore Nick Brennan (Detroit, MI) grounded out to the second baseman, scoring sophomore Brendan Twomey (Boca Raton,
FL) from third.
The Moc’s managed to score their 13 runs on 13 hits. They scored a run in the first and two more in the second before breaking the game wide open in the
third inning. In the bottom of the third Florida Southern managed 10 runs on nine hits. Two of the runs were bases loaded walks, and three of the runs were
scored on a junior Bryan Brown (Tallahassee, FL) homerun.
Nick Brennan was the only Panther two have multiple hits, going 2-3 with an RBI.
The Panthers have lost their last four games. They will try changing their luck this Wednesday when they visit Palm Beach Atlantic. Tech returns home next
Friday when they host SSC rivals Barry University in a three-game series.
