The Florida Tech Panthers started their weekend in Wingate North Carolina on the short end of a 10-4 score Friday night. They would follow that up with a SCORE loss to the Sailfish, dropping them to 1-4 overall.
Zach Blankenship got the start for Valdosta State and pitched a good one, holding the Panthers to three runs in his six innings of work. He threw 91 total pitches, giving up five runs and striking out seven.
On the other side, it was junior Boris Villa Barros making his debut on the mound for the Panthers. Villa Barros had two strikeouts in his first inning of work but also had two wild pitches. He was able to keep the Blazers off the board, as he made a play at the plate getting the runner coming home on a wild pitch.
The game was tied through the first three innings, but a long ball of the bat of David Maberry to lead off the top of the fourth made it 1-0. They would add a second run in the inning on an RBI single from Jordan Holt.
After the home run, Villa Barros struck out the next batters, then allowed a single, hit a batter, and gave up another knock before being lifted. He lasted 3.2 innings allowing three hits, three walks, two earned runs, to go along with six strikeouts. He threw 87 pitches in his Panthers debut.
Blake Beyel got the final out of the inning before he ran into trouble in the top of the sixth.
After getting the first out, gave up three straight singles to load the bases. Jowenrick Daantji immediately made him pay, scalding a ball down the right-field line, and clearing the bases. Just like that, it was 5-0.
The Panthers (1-3) got on the board in the bottom of the inning when Rodnie Bernard singled with one out. He would come around to score on a big blast from Brett Parrish, making it 6-2.
Valdosta State (2-2) added two more runs in the top of the seventh on a Jakob Sessa two-run single. The Panthers would counter with two in the bottom of the frame on a Brendan Riley two-run single, that chased home Blaise Maris and Brian Lopes, cutting the Blazers lead to 8-4.
VSU would add single runs in the eighth and ninth innings, making it a six-run differential.
Raul Quintero joined Parrish as the only Panthers with a multi-hit game. They were both 2-for-4.
For more info: Valdosta State Vs. Florida Tech Box Score (@Wingate, NC)
Immediately following the Valdosta loss, the Panthers were back on the field for a non-conference game against Sunshine State Conference foe, Palm Beach Atlantic.
Andy Marzheuser got his second start of the season, following a no-decision against Lindenwood last Friday. As he did against the Lions, Marzheuser struggled out of the gate in this one, and the Sailfish made him pay.
Marzheuser (0-1) gave up two singles to start the game, including one to Brandon Seltzer, who drove home Derek Schwimer with the first run. Brandon Smith’s RBI groundout made it 2-0.
After giving up a single to start the second, Marzheuser allowed a home run off the bat of Carlos Lara, making it a 4-0 contest. A single, and a sac bunt, and an error put runners at first and third for Seltzer, and he victimized Marzheuser with a long three-run blast, making it 7-0. For Seltzer that meant four RBIs in two innings.
With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth, Marzheuser was relieved by Justin Barney. PBA got a sac fly off the bat of Smith and they scored the second run of the inning on a wild pitch, closing the book on Marzheuser. He had 3.1 IP, 9 H 9 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 K’s – 96 pitches. There were also two errors behind him.
Barney allowed three runs in the seventh inning, before leaving with two outs, and a 12-0 score. He gave way to Andrew Dunham, who came in to get the final out of the frame.
Barney would pitch 3.1 innings, giving up three runs (one earned), and four hits. He struck out four and walked one, throwing 64 pitches.
Offensively, the Panthers managed six hits in all, two of those off the bat of Tyler Brown and Josh Ford, in the ninth inning. Ford who had a two-run single to get the Panthers on the board and break up the shutout bid by the Sailfish.
Jakob Newton had two hits for the Panthers.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Palm Beach Atlantic Box Score (@Wingate, NC)
Florida Tech (1-4) will finish up the weekend on Saturday, taking on host Wingate at noon.