FIT Softball Splits Doubleheader Against Palm Beach Atlantic
By Florida Tech Athletic Communications // March 25, 2015
Florida Tech Softball Moved to 26-11 On the year
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech softball (26-11, 5-4 SSC) took one of two from the Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic (20-17) on Tuesday night. With the doubleheader split, the Panthers claimed the season series with three wins and a single loss.
The Panthers were stifled by pitcher Rachel Hill and the Sailfish in the first game, falling 2-0.
After Kayla Knight was hit by a Rachel Pence pitch to start the game, Theresa Butler moved her over to second with a sacrifice bunt. Knight would come in to score the game’s first run two batters later on a Lindsey Johnson single up the middle.
Butler added to the Sailfish lead in the third, leading off the inning with a long ball that just sneaked inside of the left field foul pole.
That was more than enough for Hill, who gave up just four hits all game. Pence took her eighth loss of the season, allowing two earned runs on six hits, striking out six along the way.
FIT got payback in the second game, using 12 hits, including four doubles, to cruise to a 9-0 win over the Sailfish.
The Panthers grabbed an early two-run lead in the top of the first as Taylor Peterson singled to left to score Elaine Brown and Nicole Shinsky plated Nicole Miller with a fielder’s choice.
A pair of doubles from Miller and Hailey Leonard earned two more runs in the fifth for FIT, as Brown and Miller both made it all the way around the base paths.
The game broke open in the seventh, as the Panthers hung five runs on the board in the final frame. Brown singled with a bunt and scored on a towering double from Miller to right center.
Peterson followed with a single up the middle and Shinsky took her turn plowing a two-bagger to left center that garnered a pair of RBIs.
Elizabeth Eby also decided to get in on the fun, sending a single up the middle to collect two RBIs of her own.
The tandem of Pence and Taylor Smith were magnificent in the circle, combining to surrender just two hits in the shutout performance. Pence struck out six in her five innings of work, while Smith retired all six batters she faced.
The Panthers will bounce back with a conference series against the Lions of Saint Leo this weekend at Nancy Bottge Field in Melbourne. The series will begin with a 3 p.m. ET game on Friday before concluding with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m.
Live video, audio and stats will be available for Friday’s series opener at FloridaTechSports.com/live
