Florida Tech (8-1, 1-0 SSC) got their first conference win Friday and their eighth win in a row overall, beating Barry 7-4 in the opener of a three-game baseball series at Andy Seminick-Les Hall Field.
Boris Villa got the start for the Panthers and was unable to get out of the second inning. Daniel Vassallo came in and gave Tech six innings in relief to pick up his second win of the season.
The Buccaneers (2-6, 0-1 SSC) got on the board early against Villa. A walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a single loaded the bases in the top of the first. Jose Tabares singled home two runs and a wild pitch brought home a third before Villa got out of the inning.
After Steven Torres singled to start the second inning, Panthers coach Jeff Tam called on Vassallo in relief. Elijah Eusebe would bring Torres home with a single later in the inning, and the Bucs were up 4-0.
The Panthers cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second against Barry starter Christian Orduna. Dylan Owens doubled and Hayden Kimball moved him to third with a single. Sam Schner walked to load the bases and Jack Nagy drew a walk to get Owens home. A sac fly by Jakob Newton made it 4-2.
Florida Tech took the lead in the fourth inning. Schner drew a walk and Nagy singled him to third, ending the day for Orduna. Anthony Bennetti came on in relief and Newton greeted him with an RBI single, making it 4-3. An RBI ground out by Dylan Dohanos tied things at four, before Paul Castillo’s sac fly made it 5-4.
Alec Eldridge and Kimball singled to start the eighth and Nagy’s two-run double gave the Panthers a couple of insurance runs and kept the winning streak going.
Vassallo’s final numbers were stellar, allowing five hits in his six innings of work. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter, throwing 71 pitches, 49 for strikes.
Andres Rodriguez pitched the final two innings, striking out three. He earned his first save of the season.
Brett Parrish, Owens, Kimball and Nagy all had two hits and Nagy had three RBIs. Newton knocked in two as well.
For more info: Barry @ Florida Tech Box Score
The series wraps up Saturday with a doubleheader, beginning at 1:30 p.m.