Florida Tech Panthers Sports Roundup
By Florida Tech // March 24, 2014
Lacrosse Splits Road Trip in the Tar Heel State
The University of Mount Olive (9-1) came out hot and scored 11 goals in the first half en route to a 16-5 win over Florida Tech (2-7) on Sunday afternoon at Amon Field. Nick Wynne finished with three goals and two assists, and Mike Marshner added two goals as the Panthers split their North Carolina road trip.
Jordan Carlock caused three turnovers to lead the Panthers but despite causing 14 turnovers as a team, FIT was down 8-0 before scoring its first goal of the game.
The Trojans, a second year program receiving votes in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Poll, were led by goalkeeper Ross Bowman, who recorded 11 saves and a goal on a fast break after a save.
Jordan Hayes (1-5) was charged with the loss and Bowman (9-1) earned the victory for the Trojans. Backup Zack Kunkel registered four saves in 34 minutes of action. Severin Windsor,Mike Cherry, Stuart Nystrom, and CJ Nichols each forced two turnovers. The hat trick was Wynne’s first as a Panther.
The Panthers conclude their three-game road trip in Winter Park, Fla. against Sunshine State Conference foe Rollins College on Saturday, March 29 at 7 p.m. It will be Florida Tech’s first of four consecutive SSC contests.
Panthers Beat Saint Leo 7-6 in Series Finale
Florida Tech prevented its first Sunshine State Conference series sweep of the season with a 7-6 win over Saint Leo in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader at University Softball Field and the Lions won the first game of the day 5-4 to clinch the series win.
When the dust settled, all three games were decided by only one run. In the series opener on Friday night, Saint Leo emerged with a 2-1 win. The SSC series loss is the Panthers’ first in four conference series.
FIT (21-13, 7-5 SSC) broke a 5-5 score in the sixth inning of game two on a two-run, two-out RBI double by Brigit Godfrey.
Saint Leo (22-13, 4-5 SSC) made it a one-run game in the bottom of the seventh as Adriana Sanders scored on a wild pitch with one out. Rachel Pence, who pitched 4 1/3 innings in relief of starter Taylor Smith, recorded the final two outs to preserve her 12th win of the season.
Elaine Brown, Godfrey and Nicole Miller finished with two hits each in game two of the twinbill. Brown also scored two runs. In the first game on Saturday, pinch hitter Angela Kafalas roped a double to left-center field to score the game-winning run from first base in the eighth inning.
Pence also appeared in relief of Smith in game one. She received the loss despite giving up one run on two hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. She struck out six and has now fanned 95 batters.
Kelsey Donahue and Ashley Montion led the Panthers in the hits department with two in game one. The Panthers will travel to No. 24 Palm Beach Atlantic for two games on Tuesday starting at 5 p.m.
