Eastern Florida State College Sports Roundup
By Space Coast Daily // March 14, 2014
Eastern Florida Golfers Ready for Florida Tech Tournament
Eastern Florida’s golf team hits the links again on Monday and Tuesday in Florida Tech’s Panther Invitational and Eastern Florida will be the only NJCAA team in the field of six with the others being NCAA Division II schools Florida Tech, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Guilford University, Saint Leo University and University of Tampa.
Then, on March 31 and April 1 the Titans will play in the Buccaneer Invitational at Miami’s Barry University where it will compete with 14 four-year teams.
Titans head coach Jamie Howell sees no risk in playing four-year schools.
“No danger at all and if anything it will spark the guys to compete at a higher level,” Howell said. “We’re competing alongside colleges with upper classmen – juniors and seniors – who have more experience.
“There is a certain air about four-year college tournaments that is slightly different than junior college events. In so many words the more the guys can get comfortable in uncomfortable surroundings the better they will compete at all levels.”
Eastern Florida will compete at Florida Tech without freshman Brad Gray who is ranked 34th nationally. Gray is taking the event off to prepare an important academic exam.
“Not having Brad in the line-up this coming Monday and Tuesday means the five who are playing will all need to be taking care of business from the first tee shot to the final putt,” Howell said. “No one person will make up his absence and it will need to be a team effort all 54 holes.”
“Not having Brad in the line-up this coming Monday and Tuesday means the five who are playing will all need to be taking care of business from the first tee shot to the final putt,” — Jamie Howell
As a team Eastern Florida is ranked sixth nationally in the latest Golf World/Nike Golf men’s NJCAA Division I coaches’ poll but still has room to improve, Howell said.
“When the guys are good they can be very good,” Howell said. “When we’re sloppy, we’re a middle of the road result.”
Eastern Florida has had four matches so far this fall, finishing fourth in its first two tournaments, winning its third and winning a one-day match-up with NCAA Division I St. Peter’s University.
Eastern Florida Opens Southern Conference Softball Season on Saturday
Eastern Florida State’s softball team begins its 16-game Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference schedule on Saturday by hosting Palm Beach State College.
Game times are 1 and 3 p.m. on the Palm Bay Campus. Admission is free.
At stake for the Titans is a 10th appearance in the last 11 years in the NJCAA District G/Region 8A/Florida College System Activities Association Atlantic District Tournament.
To accomplish that goal the Titans need to finish in the top three in conference which they did last season, finishing third with a 9-7 conference record.
Naturally they are shooting for the conference’s top spot which would mean dislodging powerful Miami Dade College and Indian River State College which finished first and second last season.
“We are where we want to be after all the non-conference games,” said Eastern Florida assistant coach Bob Yanczewski.
“The team is ready to make that run at the state championship. Since August the players have matured and adjusted to college life and softball. With the leadership of our sophomores we are confident they will get the job done. We have played a strong early schedule with a lot of pressure and intensity. The cream will rise to the top and they are ready to go.”
Offensively sophomore pitcher and outfielder Brooke Formby is pacing the Titans. Formby is hitting .442 with a team-leading 46 hits 104 at bats. Formby also leads in triples with five, on base percentage at .453, slugging percentage, .577 and total bases, 60. She is tied for the team lead in runs scored – 28 – with classmate and centerfielder Devin Williams.
Sophomore second baseman Manya Lopez leads in runs batted in with 29 and in doubles with nine. Sophomore Bri Seaman and freshman Dajia Jones have two home runs each. Nationally the Titans rank sixth in at bats with 835, 12th in triples with eight, 22nd in hits with 239, 23rd in runs batted in with 141, and 28th in runs at 155.
