Header pic: Mikayla Wessel

A busy weekend for the Florida Tech softball team came to an end Sunday afternoon with a 6-3 loss to the 17th-ranked West Florida Argonauts (5-3) at the Florida Tech Invitational in Cocoa.

The Panthers (6-4) managed just three hits in this one, with singles from Mikayla Wessel, Cheyenne Nelson, and Chloe French, the first three hitters in the lineup.

Alex Hendrian got the start in the circle for the Panthers and was hurt by an error and a wild pitch in the opening inning, leading to a Jessica Ford RBI groundout and a 1-0 lead for UWF. They would add another run in the second when Angela Agurkis doubled and later scored. Ford would strike again in the third inning with a solo homer to give the Argos a 3-0 lead.

Florida Tech tied the game in the bottom of the third. Whitney Ellis walked and Wessel and Nelson hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. French’s infield single plated two and cut the deficit to one. Ella Chang Gibson was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and one out later, Mikayla Lewin drew a walk to force in the tying run.

Hendrian would pitch five innings for the Panthers allowing two hits and three runs (2 earned). She walked three and struck out two, throwing 85 pitches (44 strikes).

Sam Guider (4-3) who threw eight innings in the Panthers walk-off win over Bentley earlier in the day, threw the final two innings against West Florida.  Guider gave up a two-run single to Kelsey Hodges in the sixth and a single to Madelyn Vasquez in the seventh, allowing Ford to cross the plate with West Florida’s sixth run.

Florida Tech went in order in the bottom of the seventh and finished the three-day tournament with a 4-2 record.

For more info: West Florida @ Florida Tech Box Score

The Panthers head to Miami Shores on Friday to start a three-game series against the Barry Buccaneers. Friday’s game starts at 6:00.