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Tampa Blanks FIT in Conference Opener

Daniel Szpik – Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

David Lebron pitched five innings of two-hit baseball Friday night, leading the 17th-ranked Tampa Spartans to a 6-0 victory over visiting Florida Tech in the conference opener for both teams.

Ty Cohen (1-2) suffered his first loss for the Panthers, allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter, throwing 71 of his 101 pitches for strikes. Jordan Murray did not allow a run in his three innings of work, striking out two and throwing 38 pitches.

Tampa (8-2) got a run in the top of the first on Darren Miller’s RBI single. An error in the third led to a Harrison Bragg RBI groundout making it 2-0. The Spartans scored their final three runs in the fourth, helped by RBI singles from Cole Perry and Drew Ehrhard. Brandon Gali scored on the throw after Ehrhard’s single.

Lebron gave way to Jordan Leasure in the sixth inning and he shut the Panthers down over his two innings of work, striking out three. Tyler Beck pitched the final two innings, allowing a single to James Gronberg in the eighth and another to Ryan Sinzenich in the ninth.

Daniel Szpik (first inning) and Jakob Newton (second inning) had the only other Panther hits, both singles.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Tampa Box Score

The Panthers (4-7, 0-1 SSC) will try to bounce back on Saturday when the series wraps up with a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.