Panthers Shut Out St. Leo In Softball
By Florida Tech // February 9, 2013
Junior College Transfer Shines For FIT
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA – Florida Tech received a great outing from junior transfer Amanda Smith and pushed the game’s only run across the plate in the fifth inning to defeat Saint Leo 1-0 Friday night at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
The game was the Panthers’ first of the three-day Eckerd College Invitational Tournament.
“It wasn’t a great win, but it was good to see our hard work pay off,” head coach Val Silvestrini said. “Amanda [Smith] threw a great game and our defense kept their runners off the bases. Nicole (Shinsky) did a great job getting runners out and our freshmen got on base, which gave us a chance to score.”
Smith, a transfer from St. Johns River State College, surrendered just three hits and all were singles. She allowed the opposition to reach second base just two times and never permitted a runner to step on third in seven innings. She improved to 1-1 on the season with the win.
The Panthers (1-4) pushed their run across the plate in the fifth inning. Ashley Montion ripped a single in between the shortstop and third baseman. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and Kelsey Donahue advanced her to third with a sacrifice bunt. After Lions (4-4) pitcher Alana Tabel induced a pop out for the second out of the inning, she dropped a pop fly in front of home plate to allow Montion to score.
Nicole Shinsky finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate. She has now recorded two or more hits in three of her first five games of her Panther career.
FIT will return to the diamond on Saturday at 11 a.m. to play West Florida. It will then take on Georgia College at 4 p.m.
