Florida Tech to host Panther Invitational Feb. 9
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Florida Tech softball team traveled to St. Augustine, Fla. to take on Flagler and Catawba in the Flagler Invitational. The Panthers split their two games, defeating Flagler, 3-1, and falling to Catawba, 6-5.
Florida Tech would threaten in the top of the first after Kelly McLaughlin singled to left field and a few batters later found herself on third base. But Flagler would work out of the jam to keep the game scoreless.
Flagler got on the board in the bottom half of the first with an RBI single from Hannah Smith. Both teams would go three up and three down over the next two innings.
In the top of the fourth, Jolie Miracle led off with a single and would come around to score after Mya Ogbodiewgu drew a bases-loaded walk. A passed ball and a single by Kathryn Sexton would plate two more runs and the Panthers took a 3-1 lead.
Neither team would get a baserunner past first base over the last three innings and Tech came away with the 3-1 win.
GAME TWO:
Final: Florida Tech 5, Catawba 6
Records: Florida Tech (2-2, 0-0 SSC) | Catawba (1-3, 0-0 SAC)
Location: Flagler Field | St. Augustine, Fla.
STATS OF GAME 2:
After a scoreless top of the first, an Ella Niles single in the bottom half of the inning led to her scoring on a wild pitch a few batters later. After reaching base on an error, Miracle would do the same a few batters later to give Tech a 2-0 lead.
Catawba tied the game up at 2-2 in the top of the third inning on a sacrifice groundout and an RBI double.
The Panthers would retake the lead, 4-2, in the bottom of the third after Miracle scored on a first-and-third play that saw Katie Hogue steal second. Hogue would score later after Miranda Schwartz smacked a double to center field.
In the top of the fifth inning, Catawba would score two more runs to tie the game again, this time at 4-4.
Ogbodiewgu drilled a two-out home run in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead for Tech, 5-4.
Catawba would answer with back-to-back two-out RBI knocks in the top of the sixth to take a 6-5 lead.
The Panthers would go down in order in the bottom of the sixth, giving then one more chance to tie the game or retake the lead.
A two-out single by Hogue brought some life into Tech, but Schwartz would fly out to right field in the next at-bat to end the game.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
Tech moves to 18-17 all-time against Flagler, including a 5-9 record on the road in St. Augustine.
In their first-ever meeting, the Panthers move to 0-1 against Catawba.
UP NEXT: Florida Tech will host the Panther Invitational from Friday, Feb. 9 to Sunday, Feb. 11 in Longwood, Fla. at Soldiers Creek Park.
Tech will kick the invitational off against Bentley at 1:30 p.m. and Auburn-Montgomery at 4:00 p.m.
Related Story:Florida Tech Panther Scholar-Athlete Spotlight Recognizes Basketball Player Kyandra Poitier
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