Florida Tech Win Double Header Against Eckerd to Win Season Series 2-1
By Florida Tech Sports Information // February 22, 2020
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – After a heartbreaker in game one of the series, the Panthers came in fired up and ready for the doubleheader against Eckerd. This showed as Florida Tech won both games of the afternoon with scores of 9-3 and 4-1, respectively.
Cheyenne Nelson had a team-high four hits while Victoria Szrom (3), Mikayla Wessel (3), Vanessa Rubio (2), Ashley Campbell (2) and Ashlynn Shelley (2) all tallied multiple hits. Tina Velazquez Rolon, Nelson, Wessel and Rubio tallied two runs each plus five others scored once. Campbell tacked on four RBI to her season total and Rubio was the only other Panther that earned multiple-RBI with two but four others got a single RBI.
Florida Tech split the pitching duties between all three pitchers. Jordan Lawlis took the circle first and got the win thanks to a strong four-inning performance in which she had more strikeouts than hits with three to two. Raychel Trocki finished the final three frames of game one during, which she surrendered three runs, two earned, on three hits and had one “K.” Velazquez Rolon pitched her second complete game of the season and in her seven innings, she gave up only one run, none earned, on six hits and had six strikeouts.
Game one of the afternoon started out in an odd manner as the Tritons’ Hannah Perkins could not locate the plate and that led to five straight walks for the Crimson & Gray. During those five walks, Nelson and Wessel touted across the plate. These were far from the last Panthers to cross in the top of the first as Campbell doubled to left field that scored Kline and Rubio. Szrom blasted a single to left field, which got Velazquez Rolon home and in the next at-bat, Shelly brought Campbell home.
Nelson in her second “AB” of the first inning got Szrom across the plate for the seventh and final run of the frame.
The game calmed down after the first and for a majority of the contest was a pitcher’s duel. This lasted to the sixth inning when both teams bats caught fire. After the first three batters made their way onto the bases, Kline hit a slow roller to the shortstop that got Katrina Hand home safely. Rubio was the next one up and hit a liner to left field and this allowed Nelson to show off her speed as she crossed the plate and made it 9-0.
Eckerd did manage to bring home three in the bottom portion of the inning but these were the Tritons only runs and game one ended, 9-3.
Game two was mostly a defensive battle but a few plays made all the difference. The first three innings neither team really threatened but that changed in the top of the fourth as both Rubio and Velazquez Rolon found themselves on the bases to start the frame. After a sac bunt from Szrom that moved them into scoring position, Campbell sent one up the middle that made the sacrifice worth it as both Rubio and Velazquez Rolon scored.
In the fifth inning, Tech was in a great position as they had the bases loaded with only one out. Therefore, the Eckerd error in the next at-bat was costly as it pushed both Wessel and Kraak over the bag. This made the game 4-0 as the game entered into the later innings.
The Tritons tried to make it a game in the bottom of the seventh as they got one run home but that was all that scored and the contest ended, 4-1.
Florida Tech will be back in action Tuesday, Feb. 26, as the women welcome Flagler to Nancy Bottge Field for a doubleheader. Game One of the day will start at 4 p.m. ET.
