Florida Tech Softball Falls To North Georgia
By Florida Tech // February 4, 2013
Panthers Play In Eckerd College Tourney Friday
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA – No. 12 North Georgia (3-1) scored a pair of insurance runs to hold off Florida Tech (0-4) by a 5-3 score Sunday afternoon in the Peach Belt Conference-Sunshine State Conference Softball Challenge at the South Commons Softball Complex.
It marked the third time in four games the Panthers faced a Top-20 opponent.
“We played better today, but we need to find a way to make the score go our way,” FIT head coach Val Silvestrini said. “Nicole (Shinsky) hit the ball long and gave us a chance to get back in the game. We just couldn’t complete the comeback.”
The Saints took a 3-0 lead in the third inning with two of those runs coming off the bat of Katherine Martin. Freshman Nicole Shinsky connected on her first collegiate home run and the Panthers’ first of the season in the fourth. The left-field blast plated Taylor Peterson and the Saints’ lead was down to one.
However, in the following two innings, North Georgia received a solo home run from Kim McMillan and an RBI single from pinch hitter Ansley Phillips to pad its lead.
Peterson helped her team pull within two on an infield single that scored Kara Dickinson in the sixth.
The Panthers’ Kelsey Donahue roped a double down the left-field line with one out in the seventh. She advanced to third on a groundout, however, North Georgia starter Courtney Poole recorded a strikeout to end the game.
FIT had eight hits, which were the most in its first four games. Peterson and Shinsky had two hits each.
Taylor Smith (0-1) started the game and received the loss. Her sister, Amanda Smith, appeared in relief.
On Friday, the Panthers will open the three-day, five-game Eckerd College Tournament at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater. They will play Saint Leo in a non-conference game on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
On Saturday, they will square off against West Florida at 11 a.m. and Georgia College at 4 p.m. The tournament will conclude on Sunday with FIT taking on Flagler at 9 a.m. and Lindenwood at 11:30 a.m.
