Florida Tech Sweeps #25 Lynn in Non-Conference Action
BOCA RATON, Fla.- Senior Megan Hube (Bel Air, Maryland) led the way for her team smacking two massive home runs in each game to help the Florida Tech
Panthers (3-3) knock off two from the defending 2005 national champions Lynn University (6-2) taking game one 4-2 and coming back in game two 7-6 for the
non-conference double header sweep.
“I was really impressed with the girls they fought hard and stayed focused,” stated first year head coach Ellie Hanover. “This was a total team effort and
they never gave up.”
In game one, both teams had problems coming out of the gates with the score remaining 0-0 until the bottom of the fifth when junior Heather Tucker (New
Orleans, Louisiana) hit a solo shot as the lead off batter to put Lynn on the scoreboard.
Tech answered back in the top of the sixth when the Panthers lead off batter senior Karen D’Alberto (Cape Coral, Florida) singled off a slap hit to left
field. Junior Katie Naumoff (Poland, Ohio) finished off the inning with a double. Both D’Alberto and Naumoff scored on an error by Knight’s sophomore
Candace VanderVeen (Grand Rapids, Michigan) who was playing first for the blue and white.
Again, Lynn started off their next outing in the bottom of the 6th with a lead off homerun by sophomore Lia Jahnke (Glenview, Illinois). This would prove
to be the Knight’s final run of the game. Sophomore Panther pitcher Amber West (Apopka, Florida) was able to get her self out of the inning without any
further runs.
In the top of the seventh for the Crimson and Gray, senior catcher Courtney Harless (St. Cloud, Florida) clinched the win off a lead off home run to center
field. Hube backed up Harless for the insurance run shooting a back-to-back homer for the Panthers launching it 250 feet over the center field wall. Tech
claimed their first win 4-2 not allowing the Fighting Knights to come back in the bottom of the seventh.
West (1-2) shut down the Blue and White in the seventh after allowing Tucker another single to open the final inning while fanning the final three batters
with the last Knight going down looking. She finished the game allowing two earned runs on four hits and striking out eight and placing two on for the
opener. Lynn’s Rachel Foster (Woodbridge, Connecticut) was the losing pitcher of record (2-1) giving up five hits on four runs, two earned fanning three
batters.
In the nightcap, Tech came back again to sweep Lynn 7-6 after a near loss in the final inning. Lynn opened up the scoring right away with Tucker smacking a
double bringing home freshman Megan Osborne (Toronto, Ontario) for the first run. Sophomore Ashley Byrd (Boca Raton, Florida) brought home the second
run again swatting a single to left field allowing junior Vanessa Baccera (Denver, Colorado) to reach the plate finishing off the Knight’s first inning
rally.
Tech’s reliever junior Judith Husband (Wewahitchka, Florida) took over for West to finish the bottom of the first. Husband (2-0) managed to grab her second
win on the season going 6.0 innings allowing only two earned runs while striking out four for the victory. West came back into the game for the final three
batters notching her first career save for Tech.
The score remained 2-0 until the top of the sixth when Tech pushed ahead 3-2 after a fatal error by Tucker at third. Tech’s Hube once again launched a
three run homer over the left field fence bringing home three unearned runs in Harless and junior Laura Chisena (Ocoee, Florida) and herself.
Again, Lynn answered back with two key runs off of Tech’s third base replacement sophomore Thyra Dewey (Chelmsford, Massachusetts) miss-played three
errors. Dewey took over for junior Kristen Fettes who was injured earlier in the game. Bacerra and Tucker each scored on fielding and throwing errors by
Dewey. This pushed the Knight’s ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth.
Naumoff was the saving grace in the top of the seventh hammering a three run triple for the Panthers and scoring the final run off a wild pitch by freshman
Cristin Kelley (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) who suffered the loss for the Knights concluding the day with a 2-1 overall record by the young hurler. Kelley allowed
seven runs, four earned off of ten hits placing three batters on only striking out one Panther.
Lynn came back for one more try falling short by one run after West shut down the final three helping Husband pick up the win in the final daylight
minutes of the nightcap.
For the day, Hube went 2-for-6 with two runs and four RBI’s. Naumoff chipped in going 3-for-7 with two runs and four RBI’s. D’Alberto added two runs
off of three hits while Harless finished with two hits and two runs. Sophomore Dana Bucelli (Melbourne, Florida) had a great second game going 2-for-3.
Rounding off Tech’s scoring came from Fettes and Chisena.
The Panthers will be back in action on Tuesday, February 27th at home hosting Northwood University in a double header beginning at 1:00 p.m. This Saturday
the Panthers will hold their annual Alumni Game at the Varsity Field at noon during Homecoming week.
