Florida Tech Baseball Holds On For Victory
By Space Coast Daily // March 14, 2013
Panthers Now 17-6 For Season
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech (17-6) jumped out to an early 6-1 lead in the first three innings of Wednesday’s college baseball contest with Florida Memorial (5-24), and was able to hold on for a 9-6 victory at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field.
“Ultimately, we came out with the win,” FIT head coach Greg Berkemeier said. “But we have to play better baseball than that. We were able to take advantage of a few things early on and play well in the first inning. After that, I didn’t feel like we executed well. We are fortunate more so than anything tonight to be able to get out of here with the win.”
The Panthers scored three runs in the first, two in the second and one in the third to take a 6-1 advantage heading into the fourth. FIT remained in control for much of the game, extending the lead to as much as 9-3, but allowed three runs in the ninth inning to tighten the score.
Sophomore Jerrod Leinhauser (1-1) earned his first victory of the season after pitching two scoreless innings. Leinhauser allowed just a single hit in the start, and was removed for a platoon of four pitchers.
Freshman Gerardo Dudamel provided an inning of scoreless work in the eighth.
Florida Tech got on the board in the first after a throwing error brought home junior Ray Maggi. Junior Scott Carcaise singled in sophomore David Johannessen, and junior Tyler Doughty followed with a sacrifice fly to plate the third run of the inning.
Carcaise led the way offensively for the Crimson and Gray, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Five other Panthers added multiple-hit nights including junior Dan Bodziak, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
The Panthers now turn their sights to a weekend set with Palm Beach Atlantic and Hillsdale. FIT will open with a Friday night game against PBA at 6 p.m. The weekend will continue with a game against Hillsdale on Saturday at noon and close with a second contest against Palm Beach Atlantic at 3 p.m.
“Palm Beach Atlantic is going to be really good,” Berkemeier said. “They have already beaten teams in our conference. We know they are going to be a solid club. It’s a really big challenge for us to go down there. That’s why we have to do a better job of playing good baseball.”
