Tina Velazquez Rolon threw a five-inning no-hitter on Wednesday, helping the Panthers to a doubleheader sweep of Southern New Hampshire University by scores of 3-1, and 9-1 at Nancy Bottge Field.
Velazquez Rolon threw 76 pitches walking two and striking out three, getting her 10th win of the season. Jordan Lawlis got the complete-game victory in game one against Penmen starter Maddy Barone.
Lawlis got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning, before Southern New Hampshire got to her in the top of the fourth, on what was a controversial call.
After Abi Gray got to second on a Florida Tech error, she was sacrificed to third with one out. Erin Tyrell hit a fly ball to left, which Ally Carver made a sliding catch on to record the out. Gray was not allowed to leave third before Carver caught the ball, but she clearly did. The throw home was late, and Gray was called safe, giving SNHU a 1-0 lead. Panthers coach Val Silvestrini had a good argument and she made it, but it fell on deaf ears, and the call stood.
Carver would make her presence felt in the top of the fifth inning with another great defensive play, leaping up to grab a fly ball off the bat of Shay Sauvageau.
Carver did it on the offensive end in the bottom of the inning, staring things off with a double. A sacrifice bunt by Rachel Kraak got her to third and she would score on a sac fly by Cheyenne Nelson, tying the game, 1-1.
Mikayla Wessel followed with her second double of the day and after Velazquez Rolon walked, she was pinch-run for by Katrina Hand. A walk to Vanessa Rubio loaded the bases and brought Jaden Kline to the plate and she sent one back from whence it came, scoring Wessel and Hand, giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead.
The Panthers sent eight batters to the plate and had three hits in the inning. Of the Panthers seven hits in the game to that point, five were doubles.
Southern New Hampshire had runners at second and third in the top of the seventh, but Lawlis got Critch to ground into an out at first on a very close play, to end the game.
Lawlis (6-3) got the complete-game victory in game one. She gave up four hits and one run, walking four and striking out four. She threw 121 pitches, 68 for strikes.
Wessel went 2-for-3 with those two doubles, leading the Panthers seven hit output.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Southern New Hampshire Box Score (Game 1)
Florida Tech (16-11) got on the board early in game two, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Nelson walked and stole second and Wessel used her speed after hitting one back to Glynos that was caught by the first baseman, who was off the bag. An alert Wessel went to second, moving Nelson to third. After Velazquez Rolon walked to load the bases, Nelson scored on a wild pitch. Rubio and Kline followed with back-to-back RBI groundouts, giving the Panthers a 3-0 lead.
SNHU (5-5) got their only run of the game in the top of the third when Velazquez walked Jackie Gavin, who later scored on a wild pitch to close the gap to 3-1.
Florida Tech got consecutive singles from Velazquez Rolon, Rubio, and Kline in the bottom of the third, but the Penmen got out of the inning without allowing a run. That was a temporary reprieve, as the Panthers would get three more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Ashley Campbell walked to start the inning and was sacrificed to second by Kraak. Nelson’s RBI single made it 4-1. Nelson went to second on the throw home. She moved to third on a Wessel groundout and Velazquez Rolon and Rubio hit back-to-back RBI doubles, making it 6-1.
The Panthers put an end to this one in the bottom of the fifth. Victoria Szrom walked and was pinch-run for by Irene Llorens, who would later score on an Ally Carver RBI groundout, making it 7-1. Alexis Clark drew a walk later in the inning and Kraak pinch ran for her. After a Nelson single, Kraak and Nelson pulled off a double steal, as the attempted throw to third by the SNHU catcher was thrown to an empty bag. Kraak scored to make it 8-1. The last run came home when Rubio drew a bases-loaded walk.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Southern New Hampshire Box Score (Game 2)
The Panthers are on the road starting Friday, March 13th with a three-game series against Saint Leo. Friday’s first pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.