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Bobcats Sweep Doubleheader From Florida Tech

Donny Rieber Jr | Sports Lowdown

Florida Tech baseball suffered two losses Saturday, getting swept in a doubleheader at Georgia College by scores of 14-9 and 7-6 (7 innings). The Panthers were their own worst enemy committing nine errors in the first game, and three more in the second.

Colin Cristello got the start in game one, allowing 10 runs on seven hits. The Bobcats scored in each of the first four innings, including two runs in the first inning on a Wesley Wommack two-run homer. They added one run in the second inning on an error and two more in the third on a Wommack RBI single. An error allowed the second run to score, and Georgia College was up 6-0 after three.

The Panthers would commit three errors in the fourth inning, leading to the Bobcats seventh run, on a Cam Hill sacrifice fly.

The Florida Tech offense finally got going in the top of the fifth, thanks to a Brett Parrish home run, leading off the inning. Vinny Catanza walked and went to third on a Pedro Rivera double. An RBI ground out by Rodnie Bernard made it 6-2. James Gronberg then doubled, cutting the GC lead in half.

A home run by Dylan Owens leading off the sixth inning made it 6-4, but the Bobcats came back with four of their own in the bottom of the inning. They got one run on a wild pitch, one on an RBI single by Austin Holloway, which made it 8-4 and ended the day for Cristello. Andrew Giddens then gave up a two-run single to Wommack, making it 10-4.

Florida Tech answered with two runs in the seventh, on a bases-loaded walk by Owens, followed immediately by a Blaise Maris hit-by-pitch, closing the gap to 10-6.

A wild pitch by Giddens in the bottom of the seventh made it 11-6, and a double by Hill made it 13-6.

The Panthers did not go quietly, getting three back in the top of the eighth. A two-run single by Gronberg and a run-scoring wild pitch made it 13-9. Georgia College would put their final run on the board in the bottom of the inning on a groundball double play.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Georgia College Box Score (Game 1)

The two teams agreed that game two would be seven innings and Luis Moriyon got the start for the Panthers. He was given a 1-0 cushion after two were out thanks to GC starter Josh Hudgins control issues. He got the first two batters on strikeouts, only to walk Jacob Buser and Owens. A single by Parrish loaded the bases, and a wild pitch scored the run.

Unfortunately, Moriyon would have a forgettable first inning, recording one out and giving up three runs. Wommack had an RBI double, and scored on an error, giving the Bobcats a 2-1 lead. Jason Cook’s RBI single made it 3-1.

Florida Tech (16-14) tied the game at three on a two-run double by Gronberg in the fifth, and they added three in the sixth, helped by a Catanza walk with the bases loaded. Jakob Newton hit into a double play scoring another run. Blaise Maris then scored on a wild pitch, making it 6-5 Panthers.

That lead held until the seventh inning when the pitching became an issue again. Wommack was hit by a pitch and was sacrificed to second. Two consecutive wild pitches scored him with the tying run. Two consecutive walks got the winning run to third, and Eric Furphy’s sacrifice fly gave Georgia College the 7-6 win.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Georgia College Box Score (Game 2)

The Panthers return home Friday, April 5 to take on Lynn in a Sunshine State Conference weekend series. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:00 p.m.